Lights, college, redaction

Rebuilding Blenheim’s secondary schools side-by-side could prevent ‘‘pedestrian signals’’ from being ‘‘the best solution’’ for replacing a pedestrian crossing.

The lights, near Mclauchlan St, were mooted in April last year to allow traffic to flow down State Highway 6, also know as Nelson St, until a pedestrian pushed the button. But eight months later, the Education Ministry said Marlborough Girls’ College and Marlborough Boys’ College would be co-located at a Mclauchlan St site, prompting a rethink whether the lights should be replaced with an alternative.

New Zealand Transport Agency top of the south system manager Andrew James said the agency needed to do ‘‘the right thing’’ for road users.

‘‘[The lights] may go ahead, or they might not go ahead,’’ he said.

‘‘I think the implications of the Boys’ College moving to the Girls’ College site means that we should probably look at this further before we progress full-on with this.’’

Pedestrian signals and traffic lights both had red, yellow and green coloured lights, but pedestrian signals had to be triggered by pressing a button, he said.

James presented a report to the Marlborough District Council last year that said installing the lights would cut about 38 seconds off a drive along Nelson St during peak hours, as the existing courtesy crossing brought traffic to a standstill more often.

The lights, which last year’s report estimated would cost up to $200,000, had come back with a ‘‘higher than expected’’ quote, but not because of the college colocation.

James said he could not disclose the quote because it was commercially sensitive. ‘‘If the intersection of Mclauchlan St and [Nelson St] sees more traffic up and down it with schools relocating and that, that might mean that having lights here might not be the best solution.’’

James said this might mean looking at an ‘‘alternative’’ traffic calming measure.

When asked if a roundabout would be installed instead, James said the agency had to conduct research, because it depended on the traffic volume and safety. Higher traffic volumes could mean installing a traffic device on Mclauchlan St, which could improve biking and walking.

Phillippa Meldau, who often drove her two granddaughters to and from the college, said she felt the crossing needed lights, but if the agency did look at an alternative, that a ‘‘better public bus system’’ would increase road safety.

‘‘I grew up with public transport and it worked for us, but there’s nothing here,’’ she said.

Megan Boreham, who often picked up her daughter, said the agency’s plans for reassessment were ‘‘ridiculous’’, as lights were needed at the intersection.

‘‘I’ve seen many near misses. A lot of trucks come through here, and they have to ensure that they’re vigilant to keep the kids safe, because kids don’t look,’’ she said. A lot of people didn’t want to see lights installed as it was the town’s ‘‘claim to fame’’, but they were prioritising an idea over the safety of Blenheim’s children, she said.

Tim Babb, who had a daughter at the college, said he didn’t want lights installed.

‘‘Roundabouts work well here. Lights would just clog up the area,’’ he said.