Dear Marlborough District Council,

My wife and I are residents of 3 Stratford Street, Blenheim located adjacent to Eltham Road.

In recent months we, no doubt along with other residents and drivers using Eltham and Beaver Roads, have watched with interest and concern as an extensive infrastructure of curbing, cement barriers, signage and a 30 km speed limit that has made major changes to traffic patterns, parking and street use in our neighbourhood. You will no doubt be aware of various complaints that have appeared in the local media about the new roading arrangement and bikeway.

This past week we received in our letterbox a brochure titled 'Eltham-Beaver Rd Cycle Link Project' telling us how we were supposed to use this 'neighbourhood greenway.' We have lived in the neighbourhood for three years and this was the first direct communication we received about the project (however laudible) and roading changes (however problematic). Presumably a project of this local significance and potential impact on existing traffic patterns, parking and pedestrian use would have been publically notified for consultation.

My questions are:

(a) when was consultation on the proposed Cycle Link Project first notified to the public?

(b) what was the specific public consultation process undertaken by the Council in relation to this project, including the schedule and measures taken to inform and seek feedback from the public?

(c) how many submissions were received, what summary of feedback from community consultations was compiled by Council staff, what were the key issues raised, and what recommendations were made to Council regarding this feedback?

d) when did the Council finally approve the project and on what basis? and,

e) what was the overall cost of the Eltham/Beaver Rd Cycle Link Project?

Yours faithfully,

Dr Terrence Loomis