22 December 2022
File Ref: OIAP-7-26702
Tony Randle
By email:
[FYI request #21207 email]
Tēnā koe Tony
Request for information 2022-226
I refer to your request for information dated 24 November 2022, which was received by Greater
Wellington Regional Council (Greater Wellington) on 24 November 2022. You have requested the
following:
“I understand that the GWRC pays the Wel ington City Council for the extra damage from running
Metlink buses over city streets. I am interested in how this amount is calculated.
1) Can the GWRC please provide a copy of the agreement with the WCC under which road damage
by bus payments are being made?
2) Can the GWRC please provide a copy of the payments made to the WCC for road damage by bus
damage since July 2018?
3) Can the GWRC please provide a copy of the formula used to calculate the road damage by buses
amount?
4) Can the GWRC please provide a copy of the actual calculations used to determine these road
damage by bus payment amounts to the WCC provided in 2)?
5) Can the GWRC please provide a copy of any independent report or review of the calculation
formula or the calculated amounts paid to the WCC?
If any of the requested information is held in electronic form, it is preferred that it is provided in its
complete and original electronic format. For the sake of clarity, it is also requested that
information that the GWRC may deem to be out of scope is NOT removed from documents or
other information.”
Wellington office
Upper Hutt
Masterton office
0800 496 734
PO Box 11646
PO Box 40847
PO Box 41
www.gw.govt.nz
Manners St, Wel ington 6142
1056 Fergusson Drive
Masterton 5840
[Wellington Regional Council request email]
Greater Wel ington’s response follows:
1. Can the GWRC please provide a copy of the agreement with the WCC under which road damage
by bus payments are being made
Please see
Attachment 1 which contains the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between
Greater Wellington and Wellington City Council (WCC) relating to the Approval and Operation
of Overweight buses in Wel ington city, dated 11 July 2018.
2. Can the GWRC please provide a copy of the payments made to the WCC for road damage by
bus damage since July 2018?
No payments have been made in relation to the MoU, nor are any payments scheduled.
3. Can the GWRC please provide a copy of the formula used to calculate the road damage by buses
amount?
The model was developed by Beca for WCC and as such Greater Wel ington does not have this
information. We recommend you contact WCC for a copy of this model.
4. Can the GWRC please provide a copy of the actual calculations used to determine these road
damage by bus payment amounts to the WCC provided in 2)?
As above in question 2, there have been no payments made and accordingly there have been
no calculations used to determine the payment amount.
5. Can the GWRC please provide a copy of any independent report or review of the calculation
formula or the calculated amounts paid to the WCC?
Greater Wel ington is not aware of any independent review or report of the calculation
formula. We recommend you contact WCC with this question.
Background information
Discussions regarding the approach to be taken are underway with WCC regarding the overal
philosophy of the agreement between Greater Wel ington and WCC and how we deal with these
issues. This includes discussions around the current standard of WCC roads, implications for
ratepayers of such an arrangement, potential implications for Funding Assistance Rate contribution
by Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency and the application of any potential payment given long term
Government strategy and the impact on fare revenue.
If you have any concerns with the decision(s) referred to in this letter, you have the right to request
an investigation and review by the Ombudsman under section 27(3) of the Local Government Official
Information and Meetings Act 1987.
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Please note that it is our policy to proactively release our responses to official information requests
where possible. Our response to your request wil be published shortly on Greater Wellington’s
website with your personal information removed.
Nāku iti noa, nā
Samantha Gain
Kaiwhakahaere Matua Waka-ā-atea| General Manager Metlink
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