15 May 2026

The way in which roads in Marlborough are managed and maintained is changing from 1 July.

Mayor Nadine Taylor says the new roading maintenance model is designed to deliver greater oversight and control, cost efficiencies and better responsiveness to unplanned events on the network. It also introduces three new dedicated Marlborough Sounds Roading Maintenance Contracts.

Marlborough Roads is a joint venture entity managed by NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) on behalf of Council. Since 2013, roads in the region have been managed under a Network Outcomes Contract (NOC) delivered by HEB and Fulton Hogan.

Mayor Taylor said Marlborough Roads was established as the dedicated roading office for the region on 1 December 2000, bringing together the management of both state highways and local roads under a single, combined structure – effectively a “one stop shop for roading”.

“Marlborough Roads is a unique set up in New Zealand and serves Marlborough well in terms of a one network approach. However, these changes will ensure greater efficiencies of operation as well as more control in terms of delivery and quality of works,” she said.

Council agreed in 2024 to transition to an Integrated Delivery Model (IDM) with NZTA which aligns with how maintenance and renewals are delivered across New Zealand’s state highway network.

“The new IDM model will mean that Marlborough Roads will carry out day to day contract management and oversee the quality of the works through onsite monitoring and performance reporting.

“The strategic introduction of the new Sounds contracts is very welcome and indeed is something the Sounds communities have consistently asked for. This is a good outcome for those communities and for our roads,” Mayor Taylor said.

Marlborough Roads System Manager Wayne Oldfield said the organisation had undertaken an extensive programme of negotiations and tendering, including renegotiating the deliverables of the existing NOC, since Council had confirmed the new direction.

“This is a significant piece of work now coming to fruition and will be a new way of delivering maintenance to roads in Marlborough where the client – Marlborough Roads – manages the programme.

“The NOC has been the single roading maintenance contract for the Marlborough region. It has operated as a fixed price, lump sum agreement with defined levels of service, including professional services,” Mr Oldfield said.

This will be replaced by an Integrated Delivery Contract (IDC) with HEB and Fulton Hogan through to 30 April 2029.

“They will be responsible for maintenance across the Marlborough region, except in the Marlborough Sounds, as well as renewals across the whole region, CBD cleaning and other works.”

The three new Marlborough Sounds Roading Maintenance Contracts will cover Kenepuru, French Pass/Pelorus and Port Underwood and were a “step change” in the maintenance and management of roads in these areas, Mr Oldfield said.

“Crews will be on the network every two weeks to keep on top of maintenance and requirements so there is an element of ‘find and fix’ cyclic operations. The Sounds contracts have been competitively tendered, and the successful tenderers have been chosen for their experience and expertise.”

The three new Marlborough Sounds Roading Maintenance Contracts will be delivered by:

• Mike Edridge Contracting Limited (French Pass/Pelorus)

• Taylors Contracting Limited (Kenepuru)

• R M Fissenden Contracting Limited (Port Underwood)

Marlborough Roads’ professional services contract has also been renegotiated to focus on areas that currently do not to sit within the inhouse team such as environmental planning, structures inspections, corridor management and asset data analysis and reporting.

“We also want to lift our design and delivery capability from within the Marlborough Roads’ team which will allow us to take complete ownership of work on the network. This is the best use of the resources we have,” Mr Oldfield said.

Subject to Council approval, all the new agreements will be in place by 1 July 2026.

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