NZ's West Coast Wilderness trail bridge issues in the news

[rifraf]

https://www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/3503877 ... dge-closed

https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/525 ... y-concerns

I've heard people wondering out loud if cyclings being sabotaged on the coast due to other interest groups getting prioritised

https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/ldr/443912/w ... over-bikes

[ldrcycles]

From the first article "the council was gifted the bridge in the 1980s...but no work was done until decking was laid for the trail". They can hardly be surprised if they do no maintenance on infrastructure for 30-40 years and then it deteriorates

[rifraf]

From the first article "the council was gifted the bridge in the 1980s...but no work was done until decking was laid for the trail". They can hardly be surprised if they do no maintenance on infrastructure for 30-40 years and then it deteriorates

Hi Ldrcycles,
thanks for your post.
Whilst your reasoning is not without merit with regards maintenance, the cycletrail routes are somewhat newer than the councils ownership of said "asset" back from the 80's and the section in question being opened late 2015 (I think - see wiki link below)

My point for posting was pointing out a possible new bias away from cycling trails in the new govts change of focus (from cycle tourism - both local and international) and of wanting unhindered trucking on the South Islands West Coast as per the last link of my original post.

A map of the trail in question
https://www.adventuresouth.co.nz/New-Ze ... gad_source

and https://www.westcoastwildernesstrail.co ... rview-map/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Coas ... ness_Trail

"If" the issue is the aforementioned feared bias, this wont be the only cycling on the West Coast of NZ potentially affected.

I have no affiliation with the trail or the bridge or the local or state governments in the articles beyond wanting to partake in touring unimpeded by mining interests (in this case heavy trade traffic) and am not a "greenie".

I do however not want to see a bigger vehicle "rights" bias manifesting in NZ as I was particularly appalled by the WA govts opinion literature I read at the time, for crossing the Nullarbor, albeit more than a decade ago now.