Ferry onshore work plans announced

Agreements on the core infrastructure scope of work have been announced by Rail Minister Winston Peters at Port Marlborough this morning.

Picton's ferry terminal will see a new larger wharf to accommodate the new ferries, as well as connecting infrastructure and a replaced Dublin Street overbridge.

The plan reuses existing railyards, as well as existing passenger and commercial vehicle facilities.

The agreements set out the scope of physical work and equipment to be delivered by 2029 when two new ferries arrive, with port and KiwiRail agreements to be entered later this year to confirm the investment splits between Ferry Holdings and each other company and other commercial terms.

“The focus of the agreements is primarily about the marine infrastructure", Minister Peters said.

"In Picton, new wharves and linkspans will be built while in Wellington we will be maximising the use of the existing Aratere infrastructure by modifying and strengthening the existing wharf to suit new ferries for the next 30 years and building a new linkspan".

“The ports and KiwiRail have agreed to minimal scope improvements to the yards, avoiding much of the costly scope creep which occurred under iReX which sought to lift the yards by metres and then complete required reconfigurations.

"Instead, perfectly good yards will continue to serve us as they have for decades.

“This is not our first regatta, as this no-nonsense infrastructure focus is what was supposed to happen in 2020 until poor management and a lack of oversight allowed iReX to blow out.

“We are pleased to confirm for the locals in Picton that the Dublin Street overbridge will be built – ridding the town of the blocked streets it will experience when freight-laden trains arrive at the port".

Marlborough Mayor Nadine Taylor has welcomed the agreement reached between Ferry Holdings, Port Marlborough, CentrePort and KiwiRail on the new ferries’ infrastructure, and connected works for Pictonites.

“Confirmation that the Dublin Street overbridge will be built and paid for by central government as part of the wider project is great news for Picton and the Marlborough region", she said.

“I’d like to thank Minister Peters for coming here today and showing his commitment to the ferries project and securing a fair deal for Marlborough residents and ratepayers.

“We will now revisit the previously approved on-lending arrangement whereby Council would borrow [but did not draw on] from the Local Government Funding Agency a loan of up to $110 million, on behalf of Port Marlborough”

“My intention is that the loan is entirely cost neutral for ratepayers - we will now explore whether a new loan arrangement requires public consultation, and if so, when that consultation will occur.”

Minister Peters also said road and rail will be grade separated before 2029 as a safety and an efficiency improvement for both methods of transport.

“The teams at Ferry Holdings, CentrePort, Port Marlborough and KiwiRail are doing an outstanding job in the service of the taxpayer, and we thank them for it,” he said.

Ferry Holdings also released their first Statement of Performance Expectations and Statement of Intent in line with Ministers expectations from now until 2029.