Annual Plan Submission 2026
The Chain Hills tunnel is open and a wonderful success! The last 1-day count showed approx. 450 visitors. The Council has removed the Tunnels Trail project from the 9yr plan and the Trust has undertaken to work on the stages through to Green Island and onto Kaikorai Valley. But the DCC control access to the Caversham Tunnel. We need you to let the Council know that you support the Trail from Mosgiel through to Caversham and want to see DCC develop Caversham Tunnel as soon as possible, not only to supply walking and cycling access between Kaikorai Valley and Caversham but also to improve those affected by spillovers in South Dunedin.
https://www.dunedin.govt.nz/do-it-online/have-your-say/annual-plan-2026-2027-submission-form
The success of the now-opened Chain Hills tunnel trail proves both the functionality and popularity of the Tunnels Trail project, and is not a nice-to-have bit of additional "cycle track" for a small minority, but an essential and well overdue part of Dunedin’s transport infrastructure, and part of the city's, region's, and country's efforts towards Carbon Zero. We can reduce our reliance on fossil fuel-based transport infrastructure. It will never be cheaper to build it than right now.
The DCC with DTTT (MOU) completed Stage 1 of opening the Chain Hills tunnel late last year, and the Trust is currently developing Stages 2 & 3 between the Chain Hills tunnel and Green Island for 2026/27 thanks to the $2M committed MBIE funding from the Government.
We need the DCC to continue work on mitigating the utility issues within the Caversham tunnel ready for re-opening within the next 18 months rather than waiting years more before any action is undertaken.
It’s extremely important for every person who supports this idea to let the Councillors know of your support via the Submissions form. Simply put, if you don’t tell them, they won’t know.
We need YOU to tell the Council you support this plan and want to see it back in the plan and the Caversham tunnel opened soon as possible!
What can I do?
Let the Council know you support the plan to proceed with the Tunnels Trail from Mosgiel to Caversham immediately by filling in the DCC Submission form. It only takes a couple of minutes. This needs to be done by noon, Wednesday 29 April ‘26. Take a few minutes and do it now.
Here’s some text to get you started:
The Chain Hills tunnel trail is excellent, well done! I support the full Tunnels Trail project to develop a Shared Path/Cycleway between Mosgiel and Caversham, and want it added back in to the Annual Plan for action this coming year, with the opening of the Caversham tunnel made an immediate priority. The Tunnels Trail project should be funded without delay, and given high priority, with a focus of delivering the Caversham tunnel ready for use as soon as possible. The Tunnels Trail is Dunedin's internal transport corridor between the coast and the Plain, as well as our link to the wider Otago cycleway network. This wiil also be a huge economic boost to the city and region through tourism. The recent fuel crisis shows we must also have a more resilient transport infrastructure that is not so reliant on fossil fuels.
Click on the text above and copy it (Cntl-C), then head over to the DCC Submission form to fill in the form. In the box marked Is there anything else you would like to tell us about changes from the 9 Year Plan? (2nd one down) paste the above text (Cntl-V), add in anything else you want to say, and complete the form. You don’t have to speak, but there is the opportunity to book a time and do so.