Motorists worried about tackling Dunedin's winter roads can now check the Dunedin City Council website for advice.
A page added to the website yesterday provides general advice on winter driving conditions in Dunedin and a list of road closures.
It will be updated whenever conditions change, regardless of the time.
The new service was unveiled in a short ceremony attended by Dunedin Mayor Peter Chin and Otago Chamber of Commerce chief executive John Christie, who together clicked a mouse button to bring the new service online.
General comments on Dunedin-wide driving conditions would be provided to the council by roading contractors, the New Zealand Transport Agency and the police, and added to the website immediately.
A map also displayed the network of city roads normally gritted or sprayed with calcium magnesium acetate (CMA) by contractors.
However, the new page would not include real-time updates on the condition of individual roads - other than listing those closed - or show which roads had, or had not, been gritted or sprayed each morning, council roading maintenance manager Peter Standring said.
The new service would also initially only be available during winter months, due to the staff costs involved, although it could become a year-round service if demand was there.
The website might also be used in future to provide information on road closures during police callouts, or in Civil Defence emergencies.
Mr Chin said the new service was in part a response to concerns expressed by Mr Christie, who criticised the council's response to the June 17 snowstorm that caused widespread problems for motorists.
Mr Christie said the new web-based service was a "fantastic response" by the council that would help businesses and the wider public.
• The information can be found by visiting http://www.dunedin.govt.nz/council-online/road-conditions/
