Storm puts store in a fix

The Kapuni Store is haemorrhaging hundreds of dollars a day as one of South Taranaki's main rural arteries remains cut off.

The bridge on Skeet Rd over the Mangawheroiti Stream was shut to traffic on August 13 when a flood smashed through the culvert.

The closure has caused a major inconvenience to families and businesses in the area who have to make at least a 10km detour along Glen Rd, State Highway 45 and back down Rama Rd.

The dairy and fish-and-chip shop services the whole central South Taranaki rural area from Manaia to Kaponga to Matapu, and Patiki Rd towards Opunake.

Kapuni Store owner Linda Douds estimates that the shop is losing $200 to $300 a day in sales as her customers think twice about travelling the extra distance. Having had the shop for 10 years, Mrs Douds knows to look forward to October and November, her busiest months of the year.

"It's come at the worst possible time for everyone with the calving season," she said.

"Everyone here has been affected. I never realised it was such a main road.

"I'm concerned I'm going to miss my tractor customers. Once daylight savings starts the odd-jobs people are all out."

People living or working on the Opunake side of the bridge would normally drive straight down Skeet Rd but now having to detour 6km one way or 8km the other its closer to go to Manaia or Kaponga.

Mrs Douds has spoken with South Taranaki District Council staff who reassured her work on the bridge has been fast tracked and was expected to be reopened early October.

The current culvert was too unstable to fix and is being replaced with a new, larger culvert.

- © Fairfax NZ News