There’s just one week to go now until the chance to ride through Lyttelton Tunnel, as part of the 50th Anniversary celebrations. Here’s a few more details about the day (or you can print off this handy PDF flyer):
- The Tunnel won’t actually be open for riding until about 10am; the formalities will begin first at 9.30 with the official opening of the new Tunnel Control building.
- Assemble near the Gondola carpark. Cyclists will get to go through first before skateboards and walkers.
- Remember your gold coin donation for Cholmondeley Children’s Home!
- For those driving there, you can’t park near the Tunnel – use the streets throughout Heathcote Valley and Lyttelton and then bike from there. Please be considerate to residents when parking – do not block driveways/accesses or park on bus stops.
- For walkers parking in Heathcote Valley, free buses (see map above) will run every 15 minutes from 8.30am to 11.30am up to the Tunnel. Return buses from Norwich Quay (Lyttelton) will return from 12.30 – 3.30pm.
- If you need to bus to/from the Tunnel, you could take either the 28 (Lyttelton/Rapaki) service or the 535 (Eastgate-Lyttelton) service. Both of them allow you take bikes on buses, although of course there is only room for two at a time and demand is likely to be high.
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Look for the special souvenir pull-out in The Star on Wed 27th Aug Following the formal celebrations, the Tunnel will be open until 12.30pm for the public to make their way through the Tunnel at their leisure.
- Once in Lyttelton, head to London Street and join in the Lyttelton Harbour Business Association’s Portside Market Day, which runs from 9am to 2pm.
- Cyclists are encouraged to cycle both ways during the closure times (starting from either end), as there will be limited capacity for bikes to be able to be brought back on the supplied free buses. The alternative access over the hill during the closure is along Governors Bay Rd and over Dyers Pass Rd.
- Safety info: Whilst in the Tunnel, absolutely NO smoking, alcohol, powered vehicles {I presume that means you’ll have to pedal your e-bike…}, pets or animals. Please do not lift the emergency phones or fire extinguishers, as this will trigger emergency service alarms.
- If you need assistance in the tunnel, please approach one of the assistants in a hi-viz vest. {They could be hard to spot in amongst all the cyclists in hi-viz…}
You can also find out more info about the tunnel and the 50th birthday celebrations on NZTA’s website.
Will you be coming along next week?