Steven Joyce trots out the Clifford Bay ferry terminal plan again

Even on a cold day in May, tourists on a Cook Strait ferry enjoy the sights in Queen Charlotte sound.

The Minister for Roads, Steven Joyce, is certainly no slacker when it comes to grandiose schemes to reduce trucking transit times throughout the country. Last week he announced that he wants the proposed Cook Strait ferry terminal in Clifford Bay on the Marlborough coast, considered but dropped in the 1990s, to be built.

As those who have read the book Strait Crossing know, the Marlborough terminal has been in Picton for several decades.  It provides a sheltered and scenic passage for about a third of the distance (about 90 km, or 3 hours) to Wellington.  If the ferries went to Clifford Bay instead this time would be reduced by about half an hour, but the route would be less sheltered and less scenic. The shorter the driving distance between the country's three main cities the better, Joyce says.

But who actually does this driving?  Not many motorists look at going from Wellington to Christchurch in one day. If they want to get from one city to the other quickly they will fly.  The answer of course, is Joyce's mates the truckers.  The proposed new terminal would cost about $200 million, and obviously would be bad news for the economy of Picton. Even for truckers, those who go to Nelson from Picton would have to drive over the twisting 220 metre high Dashwood Pass road, which they don't at present.

Tranz Rail in the 1990s (totally private enterprise in those days) went to the point of getting Resource Consent for the Clifford Bay site, but then decided it wasn't viable to continue with it.  However, Joyce thinks otherwise.