A request from Clutha residents for extended hours for the 115-year-old Tuapeka Mouth Ferry has prompted the Clutha District Council to reassess the punt's future.
Council district assets manager Jules Witt said several people had approached the council asking for a weekend ferry service.
The Tuapeka Mouth Ferry is funded by the council under its road maintenance contracts, and is treated much like a bridge, as use of the ferry is free of charge.
Mr Witt said that under the council's previous road maintenance contract, little or no scope existed for operating the ferry outside normal Monday to Friday operational hours without liability issues to the contractor.
As part of the development of the new maintenance contract for the northern area, the services provided by the ferry service were revisited, with the new scope of work incorporating standard ferry operations - Monday to Friday 8am to 10am and 4pm to 6pm - additional ferry operations at weekends for the same hours, and special operations outside designated hours.
A report to the district assets committee by council staff said about $150,000 worth of repairs were required to keep the ferry in a safe operational condition during the 2012-13 period, and would result in weight restrictions being removed.
Repairs would include replacing the timber deck and handrails on both ramps, tightening all bolts and replacing steel beams on the right-hand ramp, estimated to cost $70,000, repainting right-hand pontoon $35,000, and the construction of a new anchor system on the true left-hand bank (provisional item to assist with easier operation in a flood event) would cost $45,000.
Mr Witt said the council would have to decide what maintenance work needs to be done, and which work could be deferred to a later date. By July next year, the council would have a better indication of funding from the New Zealand Transport Agency, as funding approval was given in three year lots.
At present, the ferry can carry a combination of two motor vehicles (combined weight of four tonnes) and 29 passengers. The original design load capacity of the ferry is one heavy or two light trucks, or one bus, or three cars, or one heavy caravan - providing freeboard is not less than 500mm and no more than 29 passengers.
Between July 2010 and June 2011, 1336 vehicles used the ferry.
