Chaos in Ohakune as visitors surge to the snow on Mt Ruapehu

LOADING UP: The first weekend of the new free park and ride bus service for Whakapapa and Turoa proved very popular.

An estimated 7000-plus people headed for the fresh snow on Mt Ruapehu at the weekend - and brought a measure of congstion and chaos with them.

The snow conditions, good weather and school holidays combined to pull in a huge crowd, many making use of Ruapehu Alpine Lifts (RAL) new free park and ride service from Ohakune and National Park Village to the Turoa and Whakapapa ski areas.

The result was that Ohakune was swamped, with parking proving a particular problem as people left their cars in the town and took the free bus up the mountain. One resident described it as "carnage".

Locals reported that visiting cars blocked the Ohakune fire station, taking spaces that the volunteer brigade members would have needed in the event of a callout.

Reports said that traffic was backed up the entire length of State Highway 48 - six kilometres - on Saturday, while supermarkets and other businesses found their customer carparks taken up by those heading for the snow for the day.

Ruapehu District Council land transport manager Warren Furner admitted there were a "few issues" which included "some parking congestion in the Ohakune CBD and at the National Park railway station, along with people using private commercial parking spaces at the Ohakune New World and National Park station cafe".

But he said overall "things went well for the first weekend of the new service".

"It was a perfect weekend to trial the new park and ride service with fine weather after a big dump of fresh snow.

"There were a lot of people wanting to get up the mountain, and the free park and ride service made a big difference in resolving the type of traffic issues that we would normally expect on the mountain roads under these conditions."

He said the bus service took an estimated 3000 cars off the roads in the Tongariro National Park over the weekend.

"Anyone who is inexperienced in driving in winter mountain road conditions should definitely use the park and ride service over taking their own car up to the ski areas.

"RAL reported that their road teams recovered dozens of private vehicles that had became stuck or slid off the road due to a combination of speed, experience and incorrect equipment."

The huge influx was certainly good for business and Mr Furner said the council would be installing restricted parking P90 signs on Ayr and Goldfinch streets to try and mitigate problems.

"We are confident that the few issues that did occur will be ironed-out and the park and ride service will be a great success."