Marlborough District Council has unveiled its draft Regional Land Transport Plan, a document it usually combines with Nelson and Tasman councils.
Major Marlborough Sounds road repairs, increased road maintenance and improving freight efficiencies were the key focus in the Marlborough Regional Land Transport Plan (RLTP) 2024-2027
The Regional Transport Committee met last week to approve the draft plan, which is subject to final approval at Council’s next meeting on 10 April. Public consultation on the plan opens 11 April and runs until 13 May.
Mayor Nadine Taylor said while previous RLTPs were a combined plan shared with Nelson City Council and Tasman District Council, this time around Marlborough decided to undertake its own RLTP due to different transport and investment priorities.
“This RLTP is not surprisingly dominated by the Marlborough Sounds Future Access Study and the repairs and resilience work that this study has identified as needing to be done due to the major storm damage to our Sounds roads network. Work which is going to require significant investment over the next three years,” Mayor Taylor said.
“The RLTP also includes increased funding for maintenance to improve the overall level of service for motorists which means smoother roads, less potholes and greater safety,” she said. “The vision of this RLTP is to have a safe and connected region that is liveable, accessible and sustainable.”
The new government recently released the Draft Government Policy Statement (GPS) on Transport.
Regional Transport Committee Chair Councillor Scott Adams said it was good timing for Marlborough that the GPS was able to be factored into the region’s new land transport plan.
“The GPS has a much stronger focus on economic growth and productivity through delivery, sticking to core business and providing value for money. Marlborough’s priorities reflect this,” Adams said.
“With the cancellation of the iReX project, there is likely to be more trucks on the road, so we need to ensure Marlborough’s roads, particularly the vital freight route on SH1, are ready, reliable, and robust enough to cater for freight demands into the future.
“It is hoped that the new government’s focus on economic growth and freight efficiency might even see Marlborough’s long wished for Weld Pass improvements back on the table.”
Marlborough’s top four Significant Activities, those which generally have an estimated cost over $5 million, were confirmed at the meeting and are as follows:
- Marlborough Sounds Future Access Study Stage 3 Repairs
- Marlborough State Highway Resilience Programme
- State Highway Investment Proposal (SHIP) Programme 24-27 Marlborough
- MSFAS Resilience and Marine Infrastructure Studies
In addition to the above, there are several Committed Projects that NZTA has already agreed to fund. These include routine maintenance and improvements at the Queen Charlotte Drive/Lagoon Road/Dublin and Kent Street roundabout and the Kent Street/Wairau Road intersection in Picton.
The final approved programme of work within the Marlborough RLTP will form part of the National Land Transport Programme (NLTP), which is funded by the National Land Transport Fund (NLTF). The final RLTP must be submitted to NZTA for consideration into the NLTP by 1 August.
