The expansion of the tramway system in the early 1900s played a pivotal role in Wellington’s suburban development. Trams at this time were the main form of public transport, and remained so for the next half of the century. The Pirie Street to Waitoa Road tunnel is part of the legacy of the tramway system in Wellington that in 1963 was converted for use as a bus tunnel.
At the turn of the century Hataitai was part of a predominantly rural area controlled by the Melrose Borough Council (area also consisted of Roseneath, Kilbirnie, Lyall Bay, Melrose, Ohiro Bay, Happy Valley, Brooklyn, and Kelburn). In 1903 the Melrose Borough Council merged with the Wellington City Council to become a part of Wellington City. This union opened up large areas of undeveloped land that could be used for housing. Many people were interested in building houses and communities outside of the central city, but development was unlikely to succeed unless there was no way for people to easily travel between their homes and the central city for work and entertainment. The motor car was at this time too expensive for most families and the roads were rough and largely unsealed, making them impractical for walking or bicycling. As the population in Hataitai and other outer suburbs increased due to the sale and development of land, residents began demanding better access to the suburb. At this time the access was only via Newtown and Crawford Road, by negotiating the road around the coast from Evan’s Bay, or by taking tracks over Mt Victoria.
By 1904 there was a strong movement from the residents demanding a tunnel linking Hataitai to the city, and the Post reported a lively meeting of people discussing the issue. It was said that a tunnel would shorten the distance from North Kilbirnie (now Hataitai) to the city by two-thirds of a mile, the spoil could be used for improvements to Kilbirnie, and that the council would gain income in rates if more people were encouraged to settle in the district. The Hataitai Land Company, which had been formed in 1901 to sell sections on the hillsides north from Waitoa Road, in particular pushed for a tunnel as it would improve the value of its sections.
Eventually plans were made for the construction of the tunnel and the Hataitai Land Company donated almost £10000 towards the cost of construction. The 1200ft-long tunnel was dug through the use of explosives and by pick and shovel, and took 18 months to construct. The project was overseen by the City Engineer W.H. Morton, and the contractor of the tunnel was Mr. A. Maguire.
The construction was undertaken by creating an open arch, supported by heavy timbering – thick vertical ‘legs’, surmounted by stout ‘sills’ running across the top. This timber then had to be removed in the preparation for bricking, which involved replacing the timber with ribs and lagging for the brick arch. During the preparation of nearly the final length towards the city end of the tunnel for bricking, an accident occurred where a sill gave way under the pressure of the overlying earth, a leg slipped, and a mass of clay fell which ‘telescoped’ the woodwork. Three men were killed in the accident and a fourth was injured and taken to hospital. It was reported at the time that the land at the city end of the tunnel (towards Pirie Street) was made of very treacherous materials that was prone to slips. The accident caused delays while the debris was cleared, but work was finished on 11 April 1907 at a total cost of £15834. The new tramline through the tunnel was tested the next day and was officially opened to the public on the 16 April 1907. Initially tramcars ran every 20 minutes, and more frequently between 5 and 7pm.
There was a lot of discussion about where fare sections should be on the new route with various residents groups wanting input. Those on the Mt Victoria side wanted a penny fare to the General Post Office, while those in Hataitai were concerned about the consistency of the fare structure. Almost immediately there was concern over the size of the tunnel and that it did not provide room for pedestrians. The fact that the Hataitai Land Company had provided funding for the construction while other areas did not contribute was also a source of bitterness. As early as 1909 the Mt Victoria tunnel was proposed and by 1931 it was constructed and opened for use.
The tunnel was operational for the next fifty years, and when Wellington’s trams were phased out in the 1960s, it was converted for use as a bus tunnel. The tram tracks, tram wire, and two small water mains were removed from the tunnel, and replaced with trolley bus wires, ducting for phone cables, electricity cables, and a new 15 inch water main down the centre of the tunnel floor. The first scheduled trolley bus ran through the tunnel on Sunday 13 October 1963 and it continues to be used for bus services in 2013.
Few changes have occurred to the tunnel since the 1963 conversion, other than a 2007 consent was issued to City Link (alongside an easement as the land is designated Town Belt reserve) to install fibre optic cable through the tram tunnel. This was attached to the mortar along the centreline of the tunnel so that the attachments would not damage the brickwork. In 2011 it was determined that the portals into the tunnel could be an earthquake hazard and it was recommended that they be strengthened by bracing with steel plates and bolts. This is scheduled for 2013-2014.
