West Coast

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A close eye on SH6 section as it reopens after 13 days

Workers clear debris at the Knights Point slip on State Highway 6 on Tuesday. PHOTO: SUPPLIED/NZTA

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A close eye on SH6 section as it reopens after 13 days

State Highway 6 will reopen at 10am today, but with warnings of more closures and with new hazard lights to warn motorists if the ground moves again.

Westland highway set to reopen tomorrow

A safety bund under construction at the Epitaph Slip site on State Highway 6. Photo: NZTA

Westland highway set to reopen tomorrow

State Highway 6 north of Haast is set to reopen tomorrow after heavy rain caused flooding, slips and rockfalls in several places.

No-show in light of exclusion

West Coast regional councillor Allan Birchfield in happier times winnow in gold flakes on a piece...

No-show in light of exclusion

West Coast regional councillor Allan Birchfield walked away from scheduled committee meetings yesterday rather than face exclusion from the confidential sections.

Charges considered for Pike River Mine disaster

Pike River Mine. Photo: Supplied / Pike River Recovery Agency

Charges considered for Pike River Mine disaster

Police are now working with the Crown Solicitor as they consider whether to lay charges over the Pike River Mine disaster.

Mayor wins defamation case

Buller District Mayor Jamie Cleine has won a defamation case brought by a Westport accountant.

Highway close to reopening after rock removal work

Rock and debris on State Highway Six at the Epitaph Slip. Photo: NZTA

Highway close to reopening after rock removal work

State Highway 6 in Westland could reopen this week, following progress over the weekend to remove rocks fallen at the Epitaph Slip, NZTA says.

Rockfall clearance continues on West Coast highway

A rockfall at the Epitaph Slip on State Highway 6 in Westland earlier this week. Photo: NZTA

Rockfall clearance continues on West Coast highway

Work restarted to clear dangerously large and unstable rocks high above State Highway 6 in Westland this morning after rain made conditions treacherous.

West Coast wants local stash of Bailey bridges

An Acrow 700 bridge (pictured) is a modern version of Bailey bridges and are wider. Photo: supplied

West Coast wants local stash of Bailey bridges

The NZ Transport Agency has been asked to keep at least three of its Bailey bridges permanently on the West Coast.

Doc confident paid parking won't put off tourists

Paid parking will be trialled near the Punakaiki Pancake Rocks on the West Coast. Photo:...

Doc confident paid parking won't put off tourists

The Department of Conservation says it is not worried about its plan to charge for parking at some of its tourist hot spots.

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Options for slip area under investigation

Cracks in the road around Knights Point. PHOTO: ODT FILES

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Options for slip area under investigation

A business case has been signed off to look at options around slip-prone Knights Point on the West Coast as an Orange rain warning hovers over the area for today.

Watch: Clearing unstable rocks above highway

More heavy rain set to delay SH6 reopening

Incredible video from NZTA shows abseiling workers clearing loose and unstable rocks from high above SH6 in Westland. More rain is set for the area from today.

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Rain may slow SH6 slip repairs

An abseiler (circled) inspects a large slip in the Knights Point area on the West Coast yesterday...

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Rain may slow SH6 slip repairs

More rocks have fallen on to the road at Knights Point and with rain forecast, NZTA says it is likely to be Sunday at the earliest before SH6 - the tourism industry’s lifeline - reopens to traffic

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Some tourists being caught out by closure of State Highway 6

Rockfall closed SH6 between Haast and Makarora months ago. PHOTO: ODT FILES

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Some tourists being caught out by closure of State Highway 6

Some tourists, with English as a second language, are still driving over the Haast Pass without understanding that the road north to the glaciers is blocked at Knights Point.

Highway fix will be costly, take years: NZTA

Highway fix will be costly, take years: NZTA

The NZTA is considering options for realigning part of SH6 in Westland, but such a fix would take years and is likely to cost hundreds of millions.

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Call for action as slip cuts off Coast

Development West Coast chief executive Heath Milne. PHOTO: ODT FILES

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Call for action as slip cuts off Coast

West Coast businesses are losing up to $3million a day after the landslip near Knights Point — where State Highway 6 clings on at the top of a 100m drop into the sea — started to move in the...

Highway to stay closed until weekend

A section of State Highway 6 will remain closed until the weekend at the earliest owing to slips caused by recent heavy rain on the West Coast.

Businesses worried after highway closed

Cracks in the highway at Knights Point, north of Haast. Photo: NZTA

Businesses worried after main West Coast highway closed

Businesses are worried tourists can't reach them as a main highway connecting West Coast communities is closed north of Haast after damage from severe weather.