Issuu

Waimea Weekly Locally Owned and Operated

Wednesday 19 July 2023

Cars driving in Spooners Tunnel JO KENT A spate of dangerous drivers taking cars and motorbikes through Spooners Tunnel in Belgrove has led to security cameras being installed to try to catch them in the act. Nelson Tasman Cycle Trails Trust trail manager, Belinda Crisp, says not only is it irresponsible and dangerous, it’s also illegal. “People are consistently breaking the padlocks at both ends of the tunnel to ride their vehicles through which is prohibited. In response, the Trust has installed CCTV cameras and is working with local police to ensure that this activity ceases.” The tunnel is one of the highlights of the Great Taste Trail with over 9,000 people having either walked or cycled through it this year alone. “Spooners Tunnel is very popular with the public - especially during weekends and public holidays. This year, an average of 80 people have biked or walked through it each day at the weekend,” Belinda says. “Driving through the tunnel is putting those people at great risk because they are on what is meant to be a safe, off-road trail, but that is compromised when they are faced with motorbikes or cars racing past.” Subsequently, the CCTV camera which was installed to identify the culprits has been deliberately vandalised. “The ongoing cost of repairs is considerable and steers money and resources away from improving other parts of the trail. I’d estimate it’s cost well over $5,000 so far,” Belinda says. A group on motorbikes were approached by a cyclist who informed them they weren’t meant to be in the tunnel, only to be met with aggressive behaviour. “The cyclist managed to take photos of their licence plates and we reported them to the police,” Belinda says. “Driving vehicles through the tunnel also puts the entire structure at risk, which is another concern as it has major historical significance to the area.”

Preparation urged after St Arnaud ordeal GORDON PREECE Nelson resident Jacquie Walters has urged outdoor goers to follow expert advice after an overnight ordeal at St Arnaud on the weekend. She had travelled with her partner, Clemens, and daughter, Isabella, for a two-night stay on Friday, and decided to take a late

afternoon run around the Lake Rotoiti circuit. At about 4:20pm she realised she had gone off course and due to fading light and the terrain she was running in, she knew it would be unsafe to try and return. “I knew that the worst thing I could do having got into that position is to make it worse by get-

ting injured,” she says. “I pulled off a birch branch that I saw and put it on the trail and sat on that and leaned against a mushy bank. “I knew that I had a good 12 to 13 hours at least before I had enough light to see the track again because you couldn’t see anything to come back down.” See page 4.

Jacquie Walters and her partner Clemens Boer on the day she disappeared. Photo: Supplied.

SEE PAGE 2

Trade-in’s welcome - Finance Available

See our large range of mobility options instore today Cnr McGlashen Ave & Croucher St, Richmond LOCALLY OWNED AND OPERATED

Ph: 03 544 7717