From 11 November onward Nimons will not be placing signage, staff or vehicles up Te Mata Peak once the end of operation comes into effect. Photo / Supplied
From 11 November onward Nimons will not be placing signage, staff or vehicles up Te Mata Peak once the end of operation comes into effect. Photo / Supplied
A bus company that carries cruise ship passengers to the top of Hawke's Bay's Te Mata Peak is pulling its service after safety concerns.
From Monday onward, Nimons will no longer send its tour coaches to the summit on cruise days, nor will it operate its team of traffic controllers– escorting vehicles from all commercial operators, up and down Te Mata Peak Rd.
"We have been thinking about our options for some time and can't see how safety will improve at the rate that Te Mata Peak's popularity is increasing," general manager at Nimons Katie Nimon said.
About 1 million people now visit the summit every year, with Nimons taking more than 7000 cruise passengers to the peak annually.
Nimon said the volume of people at the summit posed a high health and safety risk when trying to operate event traffic on a narrow road and small summit parking area.
Cruise days were now "pressure points" for the area, she said.
Te Mata Park Trust manager Emma Buttle said the upper section of road was its single biggest health and safety risk.
"The current intensifying use of the road is unsustainable."
A Corridor Management Plan was prepared by Hastings District Council in 2015, who also manage the road, the purpose of which was to provide an overall strategy to futureproof the road by improving road surfaces, safety and traffic.
This strategy, due in 2020, will outline the plans on how to better maintain the road and if the possibility of any extensive improvements such as widening the road is an option.
"Whilst it is currently being reviewed through the council's Corridor Management Plan, the Park Trust believes that it is inevitable that access will be controlled in the future," Buttle said.
She thanked Nimons for addressing safety concerns and said any future bus services needed robust traffic management plans and consultation with both the Park Trust and Hastings District Council.
"Our highest priority is the safety and enjoyment of our park users," Buttle said.
Hawke's Bay Tourism General Manager Hamish Saxton said he respected the decision made as health and safety is first and foremost. Photo / Supplied
Nimon said traffic management had become more than one company can manage.
"We could add more staff, we could get them more qualifications, we could put in more signs; but it doesn't reduce the risks from all the other uncontrollable factors," Nimon said.
"We can't continue to take responsibility for something so unpredictable."
Hawke's Bay Tourism general manager Hamish Saxton said he respected the decision made as health and safety is first and foremost.
"The safety of visitors and locals on Te Mata Peak is paramount," Saxton said.
He said what passengers want to see is normally guided by tour companies rather than demand.
"The demand for Te Mata Peak is predominantly driven by local tour companies (rather than passenger expectations or demand) that recommend and include it as a highlight they wish to showcase," Saxton said.
"If the peak is not included in a tour for reasons of safety and/or congestion, the region has plenty of other highlights worthy of impressing our visitors."
Both Hawke's Bay Tourism and Te Mata Park Trust said they hadn't heard of any replacement services coming in.
Nimons said it would continue to operate its traffic management plan for private groups in small volumes on non-cruise days where the risk is greatly reduced.
