Ongoing closure of Tiniroto Road sparks frustration among residents

Last Friday two separate truck crashes on Parikanapa Road — described as a goat track by some — highlighted the risks for drivers using it as an alternative to Tiniroto Road. In this incident a truck laying metal on the road went very close to going over the bank. Picture supplied

Frustration grows in the communities affected by the ongoing closure of Tiniroto Road at the Hangaroa Bluffs, and now residents have been told it could be between two and five years before a solution is found.

Residents have told the Herald that a potential bypass of the Hangaroa Bluffs, even if approved, would be that far away, which they say is “an alarming situation for those affected”.

“Two recent Tiniroto community meetings with the council have left the community and region with very little confidence that a practical solution is being sought,” said Pam Hamilton.

“The business and social impacts resulting from the closure of Tiniroto Road at the Hangaroa Bluffs continue to build with no indications of practical solutions from the authority in charge — the (Gisborne District) Council.

“The designated alternative route through Parikanapa Road is an unsustainable alternative while longer term solutions are investigated and completed,” she said.

The council has stated the route through the Hangaroa Bluffs will remain closed on health and safety grounds due to a consultant’s report stating more than 500 geological faults which highlight the risk of rockfall.

“The council informed the community that an explosive company they contacted had refused to assist with improving safety of the Hangaroa Bluffs, deeming it too dangerous,” Mrs Hamilton said.

“Alternatively, they say they are working to improve the safety of the Parikanapa Road as their best current solution.”

Mrs Hamilton said it was “madness” to suggest the Parikanapa Road was a safer option to the Hangaroa route.

“The current situation puts an element of gridlock on to the region.

“Some business activities have withdrawn from the area because of the road closure,” she said.

“Existing businesses are facing a raft of new challenges which are growing, and then there are the social and mental health impacts that unfold from all of this.”

At the most recent community meeting with the council, local resident Alex Campbell suggested that if the same rules that have been applied to the Hangaroa Bluffs were applied to every road in Tairāwhiti then the only way out of the region would be by boat.

Mr Campbell has lived alongside the bluffs for over 50 years and in that time has seen thousands of tonnes of slip material fall, mostly in storms, yet he has never known of any harm or injury to motorists.

“The best we can do is minimise those risks to the best of our ability and generally the council and road users have done a great job in the past of adapting and negotiating this section of road.

“The recent geological report tells the community nothing more than they already knew.

“The 500 faults is a ridiculous analysis that doesn’t give a balanced perspective of the actual situation.

“If there are 500 faults in the Hangaroa Bluffs then there must be close to 500 million faults on the roading network spanning the region from Ōpōtiki/East Cape through to Napier and inland to the Ureweras.

“The whole region is geologically unstable and is regarded as one of the most erodible in the world,” Mr Campbell said.

“Since the consultant report several months ago there has been no rockfall of any significance in spite of it being one of the wettest winters in history.

“There is absolutely no doubt that there are more slips to come at some stage. However, the geologist report has done nothing other than cost the council money and create unnecessary anxiety.”

Mr Campbell said most probably the cyclone dislodged most of the unstable material and the bluffs would be  much safer now than before that event.

“Parikanapa Road traverses exceptionally difficult terrain, never intended or built for anything other than servicing landowners in that area.

“To be attempting to improve that road as a main public route to service the region is little else than flogging a dead horse, and it won’t require a geological report for a normal person to understand that.

“The nature of the terrain and chances of upgrading this road to safe public standard, are impractical and  well beyond the resources of the region.”

Mr Campbell said a shining light that has come in the aftermath of Cyclone Gabrielle was the realisation of the exceptional skill level within the forestry roading sector.

“There appears something horribly wrong if the forestry roading sector has not been approached for assistance.

“At neither of the recent meetings did the council acknowledge any contact with ground-based contractors to discuss solutions and improve the safety of the Hangaroa route.”

Mr Campbell believes some of those contractors would make a meal of the Hangaroa Bluffs if given half a chance.

“Very few people fully understand what they are capable of.

“The region in general appears heading into a negative economic phase regardless of the recent cyclone.

“Add the effects of the cyclone plus the gridlock effect of the Hangaroa closure then we have a recipe for significant social and economic grief.

“This is no time to be playing bureaucratic games.

“We must be practical and the region needs to support that.”