'Quake Escape' canned after Undie 500 allusions

Ensoc has cancelled the Quake Escape, saying media have wrongly portrayed it as being another Undie 500, which created disorder in North Dunedin in 2009. ODT files

Canterbury University Engineering Society president Loren Burnett said the media had wrongly portrayed the "Great Quake Escape", planned for next month, as being the Undie 500, the infamous Christchurch-to-Dunedin car rally that evolved into a vehicle for alcohol-fuelled riots and disorder in Dunedin before it was cancelled after the 2009 event.

Mr Burnett said next month's event was a liquor-free bus trip to transport the Christchurch-based students to a weekend of pre-organised music and winter sporting events in Dunedin.

It was meant to "relieve students of the hardship they are facing in the quake city".

Despite the students' assurances they would be well behaved, Dunedin police last week warned there was still the possibility of "mass disorder" and called for a liquor ban for much of the inner city.

After meeting the Dunedin City Council, police and other interested parties, the society decided to withdraw from the event.

It was "highly disappointing" for the students. It had been hoped the gesture would be a step towards restoring the society's reputation in Dunedin, Mr Burnett said.

The engineering students, who played a large role in the Volunteer Student Army, had worked hard to bring about a culture change after the earthquakes.

The society hoped to regain the Dunedin community's trust, Mr Burnett said.