Concerns over congestion and the looming threat of El Niño will see changes made to a narrow Canterbury road.

Rāpaki Track, which starts at the end of Rāpaki Rd, has experienced significant increases in recreational usage by pedestrians and cyclists, most notably during and since the Covid period.

Christchurch City Council staff are now looking to reset expectations for track users, so the track starts at the bottom of Rāpaki Rd.

It aims to encourage fewer people to park further up the narrow road, which obstructs cyclists, walkers and fire appliances in case of an emergency on the Port Hills.

To spread awareness, the city council is changing the starting point on its online walking map and is moving the track signage to the bottom of the road, the new starting point of the track.

Staff are also working to revamp the public toilets to make it a more hospitable starting point for walkers.

Heathcote Ward city councillor Nathaniel Herz Jardine called it the “grottiest” toilet block in Christchurch.

Staff are preparing a report on proposed no-stopping restrictions on Rāpaki Rd, to further negate congestion issues caused by parked cars.

It will be presented to the Waihoro Spreydon-Cashmere-Heathcote Community Board for a decision.

The changes were prompted by Heathcote Valley resident Carl Robertson, who presented to the community board in July about people parking there, congesting an already narrow road.

Herz Jardine said the congested road could be dangerous for walkers and cyclists coming down from the Port Hills.

Community board members attended a site visit with city council and Fire and Emergency NZ staff in August.

Herz Jardine said they were told by FENZ staff an appliance would find it difficult to get up the road with the parked cars and overgrown foliage.

“We're going into an El Niño and so we really want to do everything we can to make sure that we can respond as quickly as possible if there is a fire.”