Park roads maintenance cost annoys

Press, 27 February 1980, Page 12

Park roads maintenance cost annoys

Wellington reporter The future of the Franz, losef access road is far from settled. The National Roads Board is jibing at the continual and growing expense involved, and is seeking a review of its role in all national park roads. The Roads Board h.ts resolved to form a sub-com-mittee to discuss maintenance and restoration of roads within national parks with the National tParks Authority with a view to negotiating a permanent cost-sharing arrangement for all future work. k A report on the access roads to Franz Josef and Fox glaciers was considered in committee by the Roads Board. The eventual resolution was .broadened to encompass all national park roads. Over the years the National Roads Board has wholly funded work on a number of roads _ in national parks. These include the Milford Sound road, Franz Josef and Fox. and roads leading into the F.gmont and 'longariro national parks. Because the park boards involved bear none of the costs of these • roads. Roads Board members have been wondering whether park boards are less concerned about keeping costs down and more

concerned about protecting the enyironmeht than j$ reasonable.

In the case of the Franz Josef toad, the retreat of the I’ljcier and the release of glicial moraines has meant: a rapid build-up the stingle deposits over which :,the road has to be j pushed:, at ever-increasing / cost. 1

But jvhen 't is suggested! that the road be taken off the moraine and a permanent rottd.be cut through the adjacent hillside, thef park board will not agree.! The Roads Board wonl/ dets whether if the parkh board Jea obligedp mV meet some .if the cost of *- this work, it might not beZ so indifferent to the costs '- involved.