B2 - Nelson Square and unsafe Truck Parking

This submission by Picton Business Group is one of six regarding the economic wellbeing of Waitohi-Picton, for the benefit of residents, businesses and visitor experience, with a flow-on benefit to the wider Marlborough community. Please refer to our submission ‘A1 – Strategic Direction for Waitohi-Picton’ for the context of this and all submissions.

Picton Business Group submission B2 – Nelson Square and unsafe Truck Parking

Picton Business Group appreciates the council’s recent work to get the Waitohi Truck Park into operation; we now ask Marlborough District Council to proceed urgently with enacting and enforcing the next stage: a bylaw limiting parking to light vehicles only around Nelson Square, especially in light of serious safety issues, and the costly damage to road surface, caused by the continued inappropriate parking of heavy and articulated trucks.

NZTA management recently acknowledged the safety issue arising when pedestrian users of Nelson Square, often children playing or going to and from school, emerge suddenly between the huge parked trucks, to cross the road which is still part of SH1. There have been a number of ‘near misses’ due to the visibility hazard created by the trucks. Council staff indicated a bylaw restricting truck parking needed to wait until the Truck Park was operational.

Picton’s iconic Nelson Square used to be a lovely green space welcoming to visitors arriving in Picton, reflecting the local community’s pride in our town and proximity to the natural environment. MDC recognised that importance in its recent involvement in a project with architectural students for possible developments around the square.

Meanwhile, however, Nelson Square has become an industrial-level eyesore due to massive articulated and freight trucks parking long term, sometimes days, on the sealed areas next to the grassed domain, causing ongoing huge damage to the tar seal, creating massive potholes requiring regular repair and maintenance.

Those ongoing repairs are at the expense of Marlborough/Picton ratepayers, of sealed surfaces clearly not designed to carry the weight of trucks of this scale. Some trucks are also leaving their trailers propped up for several days or more in this area without any truck, presumably to avoid storage charges elsewhere.

Picton Business Group has been advised the areas in question are not part of the State Highway One network, but are on council land. Thus the repairs are at the expense of Marlborough ratepayers, not Waka Kotahi – and it would appear the truck companies and drivers are not being charged for this. We were advised last year any restriction to trucks parking there would require a bylaw by Marlborough District Council.

Picton Business Group therefore asks MDC to enact such a bylaw

• restricting parking around Nelson Square to light vehicles. We suggest it institutes angle parking, or defined parking spaces, which would allow cars, SUVs, and campervans etc to park there while using the park, which was the original intention of these parking areas.
• Possibly a restriction banning overnight parking could also be helpful. The angle parking marked on the East side of Nelson Square successfully achieves this, and makes the intention clear.

The community – both business and residential – would like to see this worsening situation resolved. The redirection of SH1 is still some time away, and the safety issue needs to be addressed immediately.

An enforceable parking bylaw will provide a simple and cost-effective solution, and even after the State Highway is re-routed, the bylaw will be an effective measure for safety and visual amenity in the long term.

About the Submitter:

Picton Business Group represents members from the business community in the wider Waitohi-Picton area, from Koromiko through to Waikawa, and Totaranui-Queen Charlotte Sound; with membership across commercial, industrial, retail, tourism, arts & culture and maritime sectors. With their support we lead and advocate for Waitohi-Picton to be a well-planned, appealing and sustainable business environment, empowering existing and new businesses to reach their potential with confidence