Since last August, driving from the Kapiti, Horowhenua and Manawatu regions to the Hawkes Bay has involved one of two treacherous detours to bypass the Manawatu Gorge, the road through which has been blocked by a major slip (see earlier post).
It is a section of road that has been regularly blocked by slips and rockfalls over the years. Thinking people will ask, "instead of instructing his department to come up with plans for his fantasy autobahns, shouldn't Steven Joyce instead have set about ensuring that major roads are secure against washouts and slips?" Global climate change is resulting in more severe weather and that is going to get worse. At the least, shelters for slip-prone sections of roads could be built without major cost. More costly long term alternatives such as tunnels to avoid some of them completely should be investigated. Why can't these Cabinet Ministers and their sycophantic lackeys start thinking properly?
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