Kaikoura locals rejoice as main coastal route from south is declared open to daytime traffic

Transport Minister Simon Bridges and new Associate Transport Minister David Bennett turned a tinsel-wrapped Stop-Go sign at the Kahutara Bridge to officially reopen SH1 south of Kaikoura. Photo / NZME

The main road into Kaikoura from the south has been opened to daytime traffic in time for Christmas.

Transport Minister Simon Bridges made the announcement while visiting Kaikoura today. Access to the township has been very limited since the 7.8 earthquake on November 14 caused major landslides on State Highway 1 along the coastline.

Bridges met with road workers and turned a tinsel-wrapped Stop Go sign at the Kahutara Bridge to officially reopen SH1 south of Kaikoura - the route that provides the most direct access from Christchurch.

However, there was still a way to go before State Highway 1 to the north of the town would be open.

Bridges said it was "a real milestone" and thanks should be directed at the roading contractors.

"They've put in more than 10,000 hours of work over the last month to get to this point, removing more than 50,000 cubic metres of rock and material in more than 7,000 truckloads from 26 slips along the route.

Many had declined to tell him how hard they were working "as they weren't sure it was legal".

He said opening Kaikoura in time for the main summer season had been a priority. It meant Kaikoura was open for business, and word would spread over time.​

Eve Parkin (centre) and other staff from Kaikoura's Peketa Holiday Park. Parkin said things had been "desperate" since the earthquake, and today was a huge boost. Photo / NZME

The road will only be open between 6am to 8pm until all of the slip faces have been stabilised and traffic signals installed along a section of the route which was still only single-lane.

The Government has allocated $2 billion to reinstate the entire state highway coastal route and rail corridor to Kaikoura.

Derrick Millton, a Kaikoura District Councillor, was at the bridge to see the road officially open. Millton's Clarence farm is off SH1 north of Kaikoura, and it was his cows that were marooned on a patch of grass after the quake - with television images of the animals plight going around the world.

Millton said he had no idea his three cows were world famous, with communications cut off.

"At that time we were really cut off. We didn't have any idea at the time ... People from overseas [eventually] rang us up."

On the road reopening to the south, Millton said it was "seriously good news for Kaikoura".

"They have been through all sorts of pressure - they have run out of food, they have had serious things going wrong. They have got through all of that now, and good on them."

To the north of Kaikoura, Millton said it was difficult to get equipment and supplies for the farm, but they were getting used to it.

"We have just learnt that it's going to be like that, and we've just got to put up with it."

Eve Parkin, owner of the Kaikoura Peketa Beach Holiday Park, said things had been "desperate" since the earthquake, and today was a huge boost.

"We are extremely excited, today. I think [people will start coming back] - just look, isn't it beautiful?"

Cars are now driving south, drivers leaning out their windows to return a "merry Christmas" from a red nose-wearing road worker.

Bridges also announced that an "alliance" had been formed to work on the State Highway both north and south of the town as well as the rail route.

It included NZ Transport Agency, KiwiRail, Fulton Hogan, Downer, Higgins and HEB Construction.

Work was also underway on State Highway 1 north of Kaikoura to allow access for residents and to prepare to clear several massive slips blocking the road.

The NZ Transport Agency is continuing to repair and maintain the alternative State Highway route for vehicles travelling through the Springs Junction and Lewis Pass route while the work to re-instate State Highway 1 progresses.

Bridges said many people who had been working to get SH1 reopen were not roading contractors.

"A bunch of girls and guys from Whale Watch, who obviously can't do that - they have been turning the signs and doing a lot of the monitoring.

"On conventional tracks, if people weren't literally putting everything into it, you wouldn't have got here prior to Christmas."

The Transport Minister said the alliance of contractors, announced today, would help the work to come, including on SH1 north of Kaikoura. However, he still felt it would be roughly a year before public access would reopen on that stretch.

However, on his flight in to Kaikoura today he was heartened to see progress, including freight being taken off the stranded KiwiRail train.

"The truth is on the other trips I've made ... I haven't noticed a lot. But today I noticed more workers, and I also noticed that train, they are really getting stuck in there and bringing a lot of containers off, and that's good to see - obviously we've seen a lot of controversy around that, the looting and so on."

Last week, Clarence farmer, John Murray voiced frustration about the pace of the road works during a visit by Prime Minister Bill English and Gerry Brownlee.

Murray said progress on opening roads was too slow, especially to the north.

"Nothing has been done except patch up and I reckon it's piss poor and if that's what our Government feels about us and how they deal with emergencies then I'm afraid you have lost a lot of votes and a lot of confidence in this area."

He was also concerned local contractors weren't being used.

In reply, Brownlee said he took offence at Murray's comments.

"I don't think I can give you an answer either, but what I can say is NZTA have not been sitting on their backside doing nothing and quite frankly I resent your comments deeply. The amount of work that's gone in to try and sort things out here is just extraordinary."