Spooners closed to public after cracks found
Spooners Tunnel has been closed until further notice after a survey deemed it too dangerous for the public.
Popular with cyclists and walkers, the tunnel opened three months ago as part of Tasman’s expanding Great Taste Trail.
A routine geotechnical survey of the 125-year-old rail tunnel found cracks that required its immediate closure.
Tasman District Council engineering services manager Peter Thomson said the cracks, found around the tunnel’s northern entrance, indicated movement in the retaining walls.
‘‘It’s what you would expect in a structure of this age, the cracks have probably been present for many years.’’
Spooners Tunnel required constant monitoring because of its age, and it was expected that maintenance work would be needed ’’from time to time’’, he said.
They needed to assess whether the tunnel’s increased use by cyclists and walkers had widened the cracks.
The past weeks’ heavy rain may have also been a contributing factor, Thomson said.
‘‘In the meantime we needed to close it to keep the public away from that area.’’
It will take two weeks to assess the extent of the problem and determine how long the tunnel will remain closed for repairs.
Thomson could not provide an estimate on how long it might take to repair the cracks.
‘‘We hope to do any remedial work quickly … but that remains to be seen.
‘‘We appreciate it’s a bit disappointing .. it’s a great ride and a great walk.’’
Chair of the Nelson Cycle Trail Trust Gillian Wratt said it was disappointing that the council had to close the tunnel, which was previously assessed as having good strength.
‘‘In the bigger picture we’re not too concerned, but obviously this latest inspection has shown up some issues.’’
‘‘I’m no engineer, but it doesn’t sound like it was caused by bikes and walkers going through, but potentially by the work that was done to resurface the floor of the tunnel,’’ Wratt said.
The Tasman District Council was responsible for the cost of maintaining the tunnel.
At 1.4km, Spooners Tunnel is the longest tunnel open to cycling in the Southern Hemisphere and fifth longest in the world.
Since its opening it’s proved popular with recreational cyclists and walkers from within the region, as well as visitors from across New Zealand.
It was hand-built in 1893 for the Glenhope to Nelson railroad, but had been unused since the railway’s closure in 1955.
The tunnel was refitted and opened to the public in April as part of Tasman’s Great Taste Trail, which counted over 200,000 rides in 2015.