Police to start retrieving cars in Christchurch

Soldiers on patrol in central Christchurch. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Police will this week start retrieving vehicles in car park buildings within the Christchurch central city cordon, implemented after the city's devastating February 22 earthquake.

Superintendent Russell Gibson said the retrieval process would be slow as there were still significant safety issues following the magnitude 6.3 quake, which has claimed an estimated 180 lives.

A private car park at 101 Victoria Square would be the first one cleared, and people with vehicles in it should assemble on the corner of Barbadoes Street and Moorhouse Avenue from 5pm on Tuesday with proof of ID, proof of ownership and vehicle keys.

"Owners will then hand keys to police and wait while the vehicle is retrieved," Mr Gibson said.

"For safety reasons only one person is able to enter the building to retrieve a vehicle at any given time so the process may take some hours."

Vehicles owners should take a chair with them to make the wait more bearable, and they should also "bear with us", he said.

"No member of the public/owner will be allowed into the cordon area to retrieve their own vehicle for safety reasons."

The process, time and assembly point would apply to other buildings:

* Wednesday, vehicles in the Manchester Street car park situated on the corner of Gloucester Street and Manchester Street;

* Thursday, vehicles in the Rydges Hotel situated on Oxford Terrace.

Anyone who did not have a key for their vehicle or who could not attend on the relevant date should register their details with the vehicle recovery team on 0800 311 311.

"Your vehicle will eventually be recovered and you will be contacted to uplift it but that could take some time," Mr Gibson said.

Further locations would be advertised with at least 48 hours notice to give owners time to make arrangements.

- NZPA