Road closed while options viewed for Lawyers Head

John Wilson Ocean Dr in St Kilda will stay closed until June, while Dunedin City Council staff consider options for restricting access long-term to Lawyers Head.

In January, Dunedin psychiatrist Dr Keren Skegg told the council there had been a dramatic reduction in the number of people committing suicide by jumping from the cliff since access to the area was closed.

The road was closed because of the construction of a new sewage outfall.

Both police and emergency psychiatric services believed people had not switched to jumping from anywhere else, Dr Skegg said.

John Wilson Ocean Dr, the only vehicle access to the observation point, has been closed since August 1, 2006.

Senior Sergeant Brian Benn, of Dunedin, told the community development committee yesterday much police time and money was spent dealing with the issue.

While there were still callouts, there had been no deaths since the gates were closed. ‘‘Limiting access to this site has had a positive effect. It has made a difference. It has saved lives.''

The road will stay closed until a report in June.

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