Hollyford road 'last one standing'

The Fiordland Link Monorail was assigned to history's dustbin yesterday.

The Milford Dart Tunnel went the same way last year.

And the Sky Trail Milford Gondola through the Greenstone or Caples Valley now seems a doubtful prospect.

Which leaves just one live proposal for new access to Milford Sound - the $230 million, 160km Haast-Hollyford toll road.

Chairman of the company backing the road, Durham Havill, told the Otago Daily Times last night his company was committed to the road and had given little thought to the monorail.

But he acknowledged the road seemed to be ''the last one standing'' of all the proposals to improve tourist access to ''the jewel in the crown'' of New Zealand tourism, Milford Sound.

''We certainly look forward to moving forward and getting this road built,'' Mr Havill said.

Unlike the monorail proposal, the road ran along a legal road reserve for its entire length, despite it having ''disappeared'' from maps in 1989-90, he said.

''We believe it should be back on the map any time.''

Mr Havill said like the monorail, the road would need government support and his next step was to talk to ministers to ensure they accepted the legal road reserve did exist.

With that assurance, resource consent could be sought.

 

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