The start of construction of the Southland District Council's $11 million Around the Mountains cycle trail is still some way off.
Work was originally planned to start in December 2011. However, tender delays mean work has yet to get under way.
The trail is expected to be open to cyclists by the end of the year.
Venture Southland group manager of community development and events Rex Capil said the council was close to finalising tender documents.
''All going to plan'', tenders would be considered by the council in mid-May. From there, he hoped to see the tenders signed off and approved and for construction of the trail to begin by June, depending on weather.
In August, at a consent hearing, independent commissioner Denis Nugent declined a 28km section through the Eyre Mountains, from Mavora to West Dome. Since then, the trail's progress has awaited private landowner agreements, an archaeologist report and a funding package from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE).
Mr Capil said a new funding agreement has been signed since with MBIE confirming the original $4 million government investment in the trail.
After permission to build the section between Mt Nicholas Rd and the Oreti suspension bridge was declined, the council decided
on an alternative route from Mavora Lakes to Mossburn. Mr Capil said this week the priority was to get stage one of the trail started before looking at alternative routes for stage two, the declined section.
When stage one was complete, it was intended users could cycle from Walter Peak to Mavora, take a bus across the section to Mossburn, bike to Athol and then finish at Kingston.
Once the Mavora to Mossburn section is complete, the entire trail will take four or five days to ride.
