Work to re-open the Skippers Road, is ongoing, Queenstown Lakes District Council Engineering manager Dave Hall said.

The historic road was closed after a large slip came down on the Queenstown side of a section of the road known as Hells Gate, approximately one kilometre from the Coronet Peak turn-off, on July 7.

"Early estimations that we would be able to open the road within a few days have proved optimistic, due to the nature of the terrain, the slip itself and the need to build extensive gabion basket retaining walls," Mr Hall said.

The slip occurred after an historic wall collapsed causing a large section of the road to fall away.

"At this time of year there is limited public access but certainly it has proved inconvenient for local residents," Mr Hall said.

Residents and commercial operators had been kept informed and transport arrangements made for residents needing to travel out of the area.

"The road is closed from the top of the hill by the Coronet Peak Road intersection and signage is in place but residents are able to traverse the slip on foot and we have made arrangements for them to travel from there," he said.

It was hoped that supervised access could be restored for residents' vehicles from today (Thursday), within working hours, with unsupervised access for residents only restored by Sunday.

Public access was planned, weather dependent, for the end of the month (July).

ENDS

For further information please contact Colin Jenner 03 441 0499.

By: Sarah