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The work on new cook straight ferries is underway after the I-Rex project was canceled in December. File photo.
Photo: Getty Images / Hagen Hopkins
Picton residents are pleased to hear that there will be two new Balses of Cook Strait – more than a year after the government has canceled the previous Mega Mega contract – but many are not convinced that it will be cheaper.
Piwaka Lodge and the owner of Boathouse, Nicci Fitzgerald, said there was a lot of uncertainty in Picton since the previous ferry project stopped 15 months ago,
The resilient connection project between islands (I-Rex) was canceled in December, after the costs revealed were quadrupled from $ 775 million in 2018 to about $ 3 billion by 2023.
Piwaka Lodge and Boathouse Lodge owner Nicci Fitzgerald.
Photo: RNZ / SAMANTHA GEE
She was “slightly cynical” about the proposed cost was cheaper than the previous price of $ 3 billion, but said new ferries were late.
“We need to do so, it just needs to be done. I think there was so much pontification and politicizing that it has become real football and the point is that until someone dies, until a ship ground or until there is a huge incident, I think we are skating with thin ice.
She felt an additional explosion was likely and would fall to Port Marlborough and Centrepoint to obtain infrastructure costs.
“They will have no idea of costs until they scope the works, so that Winston leaves and says it will be cheaper, I think it’s crooked in the sky.”
Across the street from a local gallery, a resident said that people just wanted to see the conclusion of the work they had already started.
“People are really frustrated because there is nothing happening, Picton is a tourist city, and there is nothing cheaper than what it is at the moment. No matter the price, always rise. They need to continue and do it.”
At the back of a fish and chips store, a resident who lived in neighboring Waikawa throughout his life was pleased to hear about the new ferries – but was also skeptical about the new price.
“I don’t believe it, I mean, you’re looking at three or four years away. You’ll tell me that the price will be as it is or go down? No, I don’t believe it.”
On the way to the local bookstore, another resident had similar concerns.
“They should have left as it was. Many people moved here, there were jobs, it was going well. I don’t know why they decided they can. And it’s going to be cheaper? Yes, good luck with that.”
Picton Business Group President and owner of Freshchoice Picton Hamish Watson.
Photo: RNZ / SAMANTHA GEE
Picton Business Group president Hamish Watson said the coastal city has been in Limbo since the cancellation of the previous ferry project in December 2023, so that the commitment to new ferries was a well -being -vast relief.
“It’s great to hear that the initial planning stages will start because Picton people just want to see it over, they want to see and go.
These ferries, the oldest ferries have been running for a long time for a condition below the standard. “
He said it had been 15 tough months, without certainty about the future of Cook’s Strait Connection.
“[It’s been] A very messy moment for Picton, you know, fulfilling projects that were in progress and that were halfway.
“Gathering the reunions seemed to take a long period of time and, as a business group, we had to apply some pressure.”
Dublin Street was closed for more than a year so that underground services could be moved and an overbridge built as part of the Irex project, but was filed before the bridge construction.
The Dublin Street was closed for more than a year so that underground services could be moved and an overbridge built as part of the resilient connection project between islands (I-REX), but was filed before the bridge construction.
Photo: RNZ / SAMANTHA GEE
A temporary interislander terminal was inaugurated in June 2023, and the old terminal was demolished a year later to make way for a new terminal, but this was also suspended when the previous project was canned.
Marlborough Mayor Nadine Taylor said the announcement meant that Porto and Council could now advance with plans to rebuild the side infrastructure of Picton Port.
“One of the things I really satisfied is to confirm that, as a country, we are receiving new ferries.
“I am excited about this, because they will be a new design, have greater capacity, should have improved navigation systems and redundancy, this means improving safety.”
Marlborough Nadine Taylor’s mayor.
Photo: Ricky Wilson/Things
She said that similar to the previous contract – there would be investment in taxpayers, as Port Marlborough is a subsidiary of the Council.
“The Council agreed to lend Port Marlborough $ 110 million, and that was after the community consultation, and the community agreed that the value proposition for this stood up. So, we now need to understand the new ferries, start this conversation again.”
The government said a shipyard will be selected for construction and will sign contracts, with infrastructure works to start by the end of the year.
A level passage was reinstated in Dublin St, after the planned overbridge did not continue when the previous ferry project was canceled.
Photo: RNZ / SAMANTHA GEE
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