Gorge slips should be cleared

For 145 years, the Manawatu¯ Gorge has been the most preferred route to the east coast.

From its inception as a bridle track, to the horse-drawn vehicles and now as a state highway, there have been many times when the road has been closed because of what nature has thrown at it.

The year of 2017 has been the wettest that I as a farmer have had to endure in my 70 years at Colyton.

To say that it is too dangerous to remove the large slip in the gorge is ridiculous.

It certainly would have been foolish to attempt its removal while it was still raining, but since November when the big dry started, for Ross I’anson to still state it is too dangerous, one has to believe he doesn’t have the ability to continue to be in charge of its maintenance.

Compared to Kaiko¯ ura, the problem in the gorge is a pimple on a pumpkin.

It is only dangerous to clear if those in charge put themselves in a position of danger.

There are many contractors who would be only too willing to clear the road and who have the experience and machinery required to do it.

The amount that is collected by way of fuel tax, road user charges and vehicle registrations of those using the gorge alone would easily cover the cost of the slip removal, let alone the future upkeep of the road.

Statistics would show that the gorge is probably one of the safest roads in New Zealand as far as fatalities and accidents are concerned.

To date there have been two months when slip removal work could have been carried out, but no, there is a hole in the bucket, dear Liza.

I challenge Mr I’anson to take me to the slips in the gorge and show me why they cannot be removed.

Enough is enough.

The public are sick and tired of having to wait for over seven years before an alternative route can be found.

Keeping the road through the gorge open is what good housekeeping is all about.

Noni Sandilands

Colyton (slightly abridged)

"Compared to Kaiko¯ ura, the problem in the gorge is a pimple on a pumpkin. It is only dangerous to clear if those in charge put themselves in a position of danger." Noni Sandilands, Colyton