Road safety warning as harvest on horizon

need to be careful, warns Russell.

Drivers are being urged to be patient as Marlborough gears up for grape harvest.

Harvest is expected to be in full swing by mid-March and police are appealing for motorists to take extra care on the region’s roads.

Community constable Russell Smith says traffic levels will be “over and above” normal volumes, with heavy trucks taking to the highway in and around town.

“It is a good time for motorists to be practicing extra care and extra patience on our roads.

“These trucks are often heavily loaded with harvested grapes and as a result have to drive with caution on the approaches to intersections to avoid spillage when stopping.

“Any motorists in the vicinity may have to show some restraint and be prepared to drive a little slower, and wait a little longer to proceed.”

This harvest is likely to produce average to just above average yields.

With so many tonnes set to be transported on the roads, people

“Motorists in front of a harvest truck at an intersection should make a cautious approach to the intersection at moderate speed.

“This way, if there is a need to stop and give way to traffic, the stop is gradual rather than sudden. This will help avoid the situation where the truck driver has to brake suddenly, causing a grape spill.”

Russell says any grape spill should be reported to Marlborough Roads as quickly as possible.

“Naturally, the odd spill is inevitable, and these generally occur at intersections. Police encourage drivers of trucks carrying harvest grapes, and other motorists, to report any grape spill as soon as possible.

If you are driving over a grape spill, take extra care as the mix of grape skins and juice is extremely slippery and in previous years vehicles have slid-out on these spills, resulting in single and multiple vehicle crashes.” velopment over the last three and a half years.

Marlborough Roads can be contacted on 520-8330 to ensure a clean-up crew is dispatched.

“To all the volunteers who have whether it be peeling grapefruit, helping us with bottling days and just generally the community who’ve been just been incredibly supportive from day one.”

Founded in 2018 by Ben and business partner Simon Kelly, the locally produced gin has already won a raft of accolades including the trophy for Best Overall Gin at the New Zealand Spirit Awards in 20212.

Marlborough mayor Nadine Taylor congratulated Ben and Simon on their win, saying the accolade was “an amazing result.” been just beyond epic whether it’s helping picking gorse flowers up in the hills of the Wairau Valley,

“It makes me incredibly proud when Marlborough people do well on the national or international stage.

‘For our boutique Roots Dry Gin to take out the top honour at the World Gin Awards in London (the home of gin) is an amazing result.

“Congratulations to Ben Leggett, Simon Kelly and the team at Elemental Distillers - you make us all very proud to be Marlburians.”