Bus stops with gardens on top or fixing the pipes?

So, this is the way we are going to end the year then, is it? Not talking about Jesus or Santa, but talking about whether Councils should just concentrate on Roads or Water or Fixing the Pipes or a Nice big convention centre down the road? I had the misfortune of listening to the dullard duo of Luxoff and Simian Brown natter on at the last post-cabinet meeting of the year, and together they said something along these lines:

Simian: “I’ve seen the millions of dollars that Councils – Greater Wellington Regional Council – like to spend on bus stops with gardens on top, plenty of examples, Greater Wellington Leadership Group on how they could improve healthy eating habits of Wellingtonians – makes a mockery of local councils when actually they should be focused on fixing the pipes.”

Luxoff: “I know that many of you feel that we are being a bit tough on councils, but I’m just saying we are being very clear. We expect them to do the basics brilliantly. Get back to the core job – fix the water pipes in Wellington would be a good start. Make sure that the roads and the footpaths are actually being sealed properly. Make sure that the rubbish is being collected, Get rid of the graffiti and clean the place up. I think that council’s have lost focus on outcomes and we need them to do the basics first.”

He’s clearly in a LuxOff moment, not a LuxOn….

So, where are these bus stops with gardens on top? Turns out that the little monkey boy is probably talking about :

The $2.2 million hub that opened in Paraparaumu on the Kāpiti Coast back in August of 2024, complete with two “living-roof” bus shelters with plants on the roof, a walkway, real-time information screens on bus services and charging infrastructure for electric bikes and e-scooters.

Speaking to media following an appearance at the fiery Local Government New Zealand conference, Brown said it was a “crazy bus stop with a garden on top… I mean that stuff is nuts,” Brown added, before asking: “Why on earth is money being spent on crazy things like that when all people want is a bus stop?”

NZ Herald reported it like this at the time: “The $2.2 million hub opened in Paraparaumu on the Kāpiti Coast in August, complete with two “living-roof” bus shelters with plants on the roof, a walkway, real-time information screens on bus services and charging infrastructure for electric bikes and e-scooters. The New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi funded 51% of the bus shelters and surrounding infrastructure, with Metlink picking up the remaining 49%. Metlink group manager Samantha Gain said the transport hub is designed to meet the demand of more than 440,000 bus and rail journeys a month. In an update on the project in 2022, she explained why they had opted for “living roofs” on the shelters. “In a first for Metlink, we will install distinctive living-roof bus shelters. As well as being very attractive, they will contribute to the overall sustainability theme and green credentials of the transport hub.” She said that coupled with new signage and Real Time Information displays the outcome should be “a great customer experience”.“

“Why on earth is money being spent on crazy things like that when all people want is a bus stop?” Clearly Simian was not listening when they explained the real time info screens, the charging for electric bikes and e-scooters, some semblance of wind-proofing, some seating, and oooh, a roof that involves gardens (and also effectively insulation). My guess would be that the $2.2million price tag would be for all the road-building activities as well – curbing, asphalt, heavy sub-base for the concrete below the bus parking, quite possibly the pedestrian tunnels under the road and rail tracks as well, not just $2.2million spent on some tussock on the roof. Come on Simpleton Brown, where’s your monkey brain at? Can anyone provide me with an ACTUAL real life cost breakdown of this project?

So guess where i am off to today? Yes, taking a train to Paraparumu, to see for myself. Incidentally, does anyone know of any other green roofed bus stops? Is this actually a thing? Or is it a one-off?