Volume One 17. Transportation Issue 17E – The land transport network can have adverse effects on Marlborough’s natural and physical resources and the wellbeing of the community. Transport has a direct impact on the natural and physical resources of Marlborough. Contaminants from vehicles (e.g. from tyres, brakes and oil or fuel spills) enter runoff from road surfaces and parking areas, contributing to a reduction in water quality with potentially damaging effects on sensitive aquatic flora and fauna. Earthworks associated with the construction and maintenance of roads can also be a source of sediment contamination of waterways if mitigation measures are not put in place. Development of the land transport network can affect areas of natural habitat or outstanding landscape value where these may need to be removed or severed to enable the construction of roads. Sites of significance to Marlborough’s tangata whenua iwi may also be affected by road construction, in particular archaeological sites that could be destroyed or damaged by earthworks. Impacts from the land transport network can give rise to localised adverse effects on community health and wellbeing, including reduced safety, loss of amenity due to noise and dust and vehicle exhaust emissions (although because of Marlborough’s low population, there is currently no significant issue with exposure to transport pollutants). Road transport noise and vibration can be issues especially in urban areas. Noise levels can vary with the type of vehicle (for example, heavy vehicles are frequently noisier and generate more vibration) as well as the type of road surface and strength, with different seal types resulting in different noise levels. With State Highway 1 running through the middle of Seddon, Blenheim and Picton, people are also potentially exposed to significant noise from through traffic. Increased traffic volumes can exacerbate existing safety concerns and generate new ones, especially where the road network is not designed to accommodate traffic increases (for example, unsealed roads). Changes in long-haul freight transport patterns and vehicles have also given rise to demands for new facilities within the land transport infrastructure, such as overnight parking areas for heavy goods vehicles and stock effluent disposal facilities. Increased traffic volumes occurring in or near residential areas can create inconvenience from congestion, making it difficult for people to access their properties and generally reducing the amenity values of the area. These effects can also diminish the amenity values of business areas, particularly retail areas where high quality environments are desirable. Inadequate provision of parking and loading areas can create adverse effects on amenity values (including visual impacts) of an area. Parked vehicles can detract from scenic viewpoints and, where illegally parked, can obstruct footpaths, berms and access to adjacent properties. Additionally, while road networks provide connections between places, the construction of new roads (particularly major roads designed primarily for the passage of through traffic) may sever existing communities and make movement between the areas separated by the road more difficult. [D] Objective 17.6 – Development, maintenance and use of the land transport network in a way that Marlborough’s natural and physical resources and the health, safety, and wellbeing of the community are maintained. Motorised transport has obvious advantages to the community in convenience and mobility. However, there are numerous environmental effects of the operation of transportation systems throughout Marlborough. Some of these impacts are of global significance, such as the emission of greenhouse gases associated with vehicle emissions. Other impacts are of more local significance, such as decreased accessibility to some areas or impacts on amenity values. The aim of this objective is to ensure that the development, maintenance and use of the land transport network does not cause adverse effects on natural and physical resources, community health, safety or wellbeing. 17 – 13