Sydney had one, Asia has a number of them and Bologna in Italy has one under construction – so could Nelson have a monorail?

Nelson man Neil Larsen has been researching plans for a monorail to be a contender to fix the problem of the much-debated Southern Link road.

He said he had done some "preliminary work" on the concept.

"I think it's something that should be followed up."

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Larsen said he estimated the fast, quiet mode of transport would cost about $100 million, less than the proposed Southern Link, to which the former Government had pledged $135m.

The Southern Link, a purpose-built state highway, has been seen as the answer to Nelson's traffic woes for years, receiving strong support and impassioned opposition.

Alternatives to ease congestion have included a log barge to divert trucks from Rocks Rd and a tunnel from Annesbrook to the top of St Vincent St – both vetoed.

The track would run from Nelson's centre to Richmond including the outside of the port, across to the airport, Saxton Field and out to Richmond.

123rf Sydney's former monorail which opened in 1988 and was pulled down in 2013.

Larsen said the benefits of the structure were that "you can more or less put it where you want".

"It's easy to put up, it's doesn't take up a lot of space and they're very quiet really, it would be just like listening to a bus go by."

He said the monorail would be capable of carrying 4600 people per hour with room for 120 seated and 120 standing per trip. It would reach speeds up to 120kmh.

The trains would run express services from 7am to 9am and 4pm to 6pm with the journey taking about seven minutes in express mode or about half the time in a car at present if the run is unhindered, he said.

At the time of publication a poll on Neighbourly had half the 117 votes in support of a monorail, 15 per cent opposed to it, 30 per cent thought it could be a good idea but they needed to know more and more than three per cent had a better idea.

A Fiordland monorail was rejected in 2014 as then Conservation Minister Nick Smith said it was "not viable".

A monorail has also been floated as the answer to Tauranga's traffic congestion. The concept was pitched in December 2017 but a decision has yet to be made.

In an attempt to pitch the monorail, Larsen went to the Nelson City Council but was directed to the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA).

An NZTA spokesperson said to be considered for funding as part of the National Land Transport Programme, all transport projects and activities needed to be included in councils' Regional Land Transport Plan.

"This would apply to the idea of a monorail in Nelson."