From page 1 // Council’s ferry fears for Picton

ahead. The letter was also signed by Marlborough mayor John Leggett and Port Marlborough chief executive Rhys Welbourn, and backed last month by the regional transport committee.

Committee chair Francis Maher said at a council meeting yesterday it was about ‘‘keeping the finger on the button’’.

‘‘That communication – and you can see it’s a pretty heavy group of signatories – is about making sure that when the ferries and their effects do hit Marlborough, that we’re not disadvantaged in terms of our roading network,’’ Maher said.

As part of the fact checking, Wheeler said the council intended to re-run a study into traffic along SH1 in Blenheim, ‘‘to show the public new ferries [would] not make any difference to a bypass’’.

The study, commissioned by the council, showed about 680 vehicles a day drove through Blenheim without stopping – not enough for a bypass, but enough for a new roundabout.

‘‘A bypass costs hundreds of millions of dollars, and the numbers to justify it are not going to come from the ferries.’’

Cardno senior transport engineer Laura Skilton, who authored the report, told councillors that a bypass ‘‘does not stack up financially’’ and was not included in her long-term solutions.

But she did suggest double lanes along Sh1/grove Rd, blocking off the Park Terrance arm of the Main St and Redwood St roundabout, or creating alternative routes around Blenheim. Short term, she suggested a new roundabout at the Budge St and Grove Rd intersection, adding an extra northbound lane at the Alfred St intersection, or removing some short-term parking.

Councillor Jamie Arbuckle said the public wanted a short, scenic bypass – which he supported – not a long one.

Leggett said the council could not rule out a shorter bypass down the line.

Several councillors agreed a long bypass, suggested to connect Koromiko and Riverlands, was ‘‘completely off the table’’.