NZ motor rally wants to come back to our roads

Motu rally. File picture

THE New Zealand Rally Championship could return to Gisborne and the highly-regarded Motu Road.

Mayor Meng Foon told Gisborne District councillors he had received a request from rally organisers to return to Gisborne.

Mr Foon said he had forwarded their interest to chief executive Judy Campbell, who would prepare a report for the council’s infrastructure committee to make a decision.

Roger Haisman said the rally had been staged in Waikohu previously.

“You could hardly tell they had been there.”

Rally organisers were co-operative in making repairs and the cars helped to take the crown (high point) off the road.

New Zealand Transport Authority paid for 61 percent of roading costs in the area. Many people said the rally would wreck the roads.

“That’s not true in my experience,’’ Mr Haisman said.

Brian Wilson said facts and figures would be needed in making a decision whether to host the rally.