The Government is confident it has cash on hand to make the repairs and upgrades needed to the quake-devastated State Highway One in the South island.

Minister of Transport Simon Bridges is warning there'll be no quick fix for the road with work on it expected to take several months to do - the cost of clearing slips alone will run into the tens of millions of dollars.

But in terms of repairing the state highway, Mr Bridges says there's emergency funding built into the Road Transport Fund, there's also funding in the state highway road improvements pot and the same from local road budgets.

"So just on the conventional Transport Agency funding, we're looking at half a billion dollars, in round terms, that we could apply to a State Highway One situation."

Mr Bridges signalled the existing coastal State highway one and rail routes will be repaired and improved.

New Zealand First leader Winston Peters said there is an alternative route, but it's a gravel road that would have to be widened and sealed.

"I would hope that they, with great urgency, are looking for either fixing the one they've got now, or looking at an alternative. Or doing both. One for the long term and one for the short term."

The Government's confirmed that creating a new route for KiwiRail ferries, to either Lyttelton or Timaru, is an option being considered.

This is being welcomed by the New Zealand First party.

Mr Peters was lobbying for such a move yesterday and is pleased it is being considered.

"Experts in the ferry business told me that that's what they should be doing and yet yesterday they were all tied up out here. Now it is a crisis isn't it, so let's act like it is one."