Frosty reception greets NZTA over road closures
The New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) will have ‘‘blood on their hands’’ if it continues to close alpine passes after snowfall, a former West Coast doctor says.
Dr Paul Corwin, a part-time Castle Hill resident who lives in Christchurch, said he had worked on the West Coast for years and had sent a medical evacuation by road to Christchurch at least once a week.
‘‘I am telling you, you will be responsible for deaths, you will have blood on your hands.’’
A meeting at Castle Hill last night was organised after the first weekend of snow led to frustration from business owners, residents and skiers, who said NZTA’s new winter policy of closing State Highway 73 (SH73) was causing chaos.
On top of the road closures was the inaccuracy of online journey planners which said the road was closed for a further three days.
More than 100 people turned out to the Castle Hill community centre, many of them forced to listen from outside the packed hall.
The meeting came as MetService forecast snow overnight and today for Arthur’s Pass, Porters Pass, Lindis Pass, Crown Range Road and Milford Road.
An online petition raised close to 20,000 signatures, but last week NZTA doubled down on its message, saying the open/closed road policy would be reviewed at the end of winter, despite not having yet met with those affected.
The meeting included a presentation of NZTA’s written statement, but it also provided some positive news for locals, with transport systems manager Pete Connors promising to reinstate a permit system to allow local residents and businesses access when the road was safe enough to do so.
But Claire Newell, of Broken River Ski Area, said the financial impacts on the business were huge if the road was closed to visitors, with a loss of about $20,000 a day if the field was unable to open.
‘‘It’s a short enough season anyway, plus you need to put chains on to get up the road to the skifields.’’
She questioned why people couldn’t put their chains on earlier.
For Richard Hill and wife Anna Hill at Flock Hill Station, a closed road was a matter of animal welfare for the 14,000 hungry mouths waiting to be fed.
‘‘This [decision] just blows us away,’’ he said. ‘‘Why now? What’s changed?’’
While NZTA said the permits would be reinstated, it was unclear if they would allow chain use for competent drivers.
Connors said the feedback from the meeting would be discussed, and the community could expect some answers by the end of next week.