Photo: RNZ / Jimmy Ellingham
Keep New Zealand Beautiful (KNZB) says the Desert Road is "disgusting" and "riddled" with bottles and waste but Waka Kotahi won't even discuss a proposal to clean the roadside while the stretch is closed for maintenance.
The road between Tūrangi and Waiouru was closed in January to allow contractors two months to reconstruct 16km of surface and replace the deck of the Mangatoetoenui Bridge.
National Support Manager, Wayne Gazley said his group had up to 200 cleanup volunteers ready to go but the NZ Transport Agency had blocked their direct approaches via contracting firm Downer.
"We never actually got the opportunity to talk in-depth with them. We asked if we could get onto the Desert Road and we got a 'no'. We did ask if we could meet and have a discussion we got a 'no' so we couldn't put any plans to them," Gazley said.
Gazley said it would take - at most - two days for volunteers to have a positive impact on one of the country's most beloved scenic areas.
"I can tell you that it's quite disgusting. When you actually stop and get out and start walking it's just riddled with plastic bottles, tin cans, glass bottles, all sorts of rubbish.
"People throw nappies out the window - you name it we've seen it.
"Tourists and locals alike travel through this road, and we saw this as a chance to make an important piece of New Zealand shine," Gazley said.
Photo: Supplied/NZTA
He said the only explanation offered to the group was "unspecified health and safety concerns".
Gazley said KNZB was well equipped and experienced with working along transport corridors and he was confident the group could allay any concerns the agency might have.
"We run clean-ups with KiwiRail and we follow all their health and safety procedures to the max. We understand that we are on their railway corridor - we're basically a guest - we have to follow their protocols and we do everything to the letter," Gazley said.
But, NZTA regional manager of maintenance and operations, Roger Brady said that while Waka Kotahi appreciates the KNZB initiative, it is simply not safe to allow a large group of volunteers onto the worksite "while trucks and large machinery are in operation up and down the highway.
"It's a health and safety risk that would involve supervision from NZTA contractors to ensure safety, which pulls them off the job they're working hard to complete," said Brady.
"While our contractors are prioritising the road rebuild... they are also making the most of the closure to carry out a range of maintenance activities which includes litter retrieval."
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