Idea to keep Marahau car-free
A Nelson entrepreneur has raised the idea of making Marahau a car-free zone.
While in lockdown at Marahau with his family for the past four weeks, Nelson businessman Pic Picot has come up with a proposal that would drastically decrease road traffic within the Abel Tasman town.
Picot said it had been an idea he had been thinking on over the summer, but the coronavirus lockdown had given a glimpse into what a car-free future could look like in Marahau.
‘‘I worry that we will look back on the Marahau of today as its ‘golden years’ – before a hotchpotch of disjointed development, quick fixes, masses of concrete and council’s template solutions to issues as they crop up, spoiled everything.’’
Picot said that the lockdown period had made a noticeable change to the feel of the town.
He said the road had become a safe place for pedestrians to walk and children to ride, and with the lack of road noise the village had filled with birdsong.
‘‘The empty cars and vans that normally clutter the landscape have disappeared, as have the anonymous car-borne voyeurs who drive slowly through town, peering at us from behind closed windows.’’
Picot said his proposal would be that the Sandy Bay-Marahau Rd close at the Otuwhero Stream to all motor vehicles except for essential services and those belonging to residents.
He said unused land to the west of the stream could be used for a carpark for visitors coming to the town. From there a cafe and toilet block could be set up, with bicycle hire, water taxis and a tractor-drawn shuttle service operating to take people into Marahau or Abel Tasman National Park.
Picot said while the plan was unconventional and could ruffle some feathers, it presented an opportunity for Marahau to become ‘‘a really special part of the world’’.
‘‘If done right, Marahau could be a seamless extension of the [Abel Tasman National Park], a unique attraction in its own right, offering a planet-friendly and welcoming environment for residents and our visitors.’’
He said tourist centres such as Queenstown and Kaiteriteri were having to live with the consequences of trying to accommodate ‘‘ever-growing numbers of motorists’’.
Picot said he would be keen for a public debate on the proposal to hear what other people thought.
‘‘I’ve talked to a few people. I’m a bit nervous, I’m worried I’ll get a lot of pushback from business owners without them having time to really reflect on it.
‘‘The devil’s in the details, of course. We’d need to sort out agreements that could introduce things slowly, trials or however you do it.’’
He said the proposal could even be a boon for tourism, as it would suit the type of people who visited the town.
‘‘People come to Marahau because they appreciate the outdoors.
‘‘They don’t come here because they want to go to Queenstown and go to nightclubs and hoon around in cars – they come here for peace and quiet.’’