CD de-activates national crisis centre 

Several roads in the central North Island have now re-opened, with a clear path  through on the Western side of the mountains.

The Ministry of Civil Defence has also de-activated its National Crisis Management Centre in Wellington following news that the Gisborne area has avoided the worst of the heavy rain that had been forecast.

The centre was activated at 6am on Friday to monitor and provide support if problems eventuated.

However, national controller Mike O'Leary says the ministry will continue to monitor the situation around New Zealand and provide support where required.

State Highway One is now open between Taihape and Waiouru, as is the Waiouru to Ohakune Road and the National Park route.

Transit New Zealand regional network manager, Ian Cox, says vehicles can now take a more central route.

However, he says icy conditions are expected again on Friday night, and he would be surprised if the roads remained open overnight.

State Highway Four between Raetihi and Wanganui is also open, but is down to one lane in places because of slips, and caution is advised.  State Highway Five, between Taupo and Eskdale, just out of Napier is also back open.

Napier-Taupo road still closed

Napier police are advising motorists not to expect the Napier-Taupo Highway to open on Friday, with snow continuing to fall on the road.

A spokesperson says a large number of vehicles are lining up at Eskdale in the hope the road may open.

She says police and the army are currently trying to clear the road so stranded vehicles can be returned to their owners.

More than 80 stranded people were rescued from the highway on Thursday night. 

Transit's regional network manager in Napier, Gordon Hart, says the road is simply too unsafe for any vehicles.

He says his office has been inundated with calls from people and businesses eager for the road to open, but he says even an escorted convoy would have been too dangerous.

He says the road's condition will be assessed on Saturday morning.

State Highway Two between Wairoa and Whirinaki has now re-opened, however after several slips forced its closure on Friday.

Powerlines downed in Gisborne

Snow has taken out powerlines in the Gisborne region, but the city is still receiving power from a generator at Waikaremoana.

Transpower says helicopters have surveyed the area to gauge the extent of the damage and staff are now working to fix the downed lines.

Weather conditions are expected to improve in the Central North Island later on Friday. 

Forecaster Augie Auer says there is a sign the weather is clearing from the south-west.

He says that should ease conditions on the Desert Road long enough for maintenance crews to clear away some of the snow.

Cost of road closures immeasurable

The group representing transport companies believes the cost of delays caused by the central North Island road closures is immeasurable.

Freight companies have had to reschedule orders or send their trucks the long way around the Taranaki coast to reach their destinations.

Chief executive of the Road Transport Forum, Tony Friedlander, says it is impossible to put a figure on the cost of these delays as they affect different companies in different ways, but they will be substantial. 

He says delivering freight on time at the moment is an expensive business.

Friedlander says he cannot recall a time when the North Island roading network has been as stretched. He says most companies will take on board the extra costs themselves.

The weather conditions mean InterCity buses are not able to complete many scheduled services.

It estimates the road closures will affect between 350 and 400 passengers.

Some services departing from Tauranga, Hastings, Taupo, Rotorua, Gisborne, Auckland and Wellington have either been fully or partially cancelled, or transferred to another scheduled service.

Road closures and severe weather in the North Island have also hindered mail deliveries.

New Zealand Post spokesperson, Richard McLean, says mail trucks and couriers have been delayed because they have been forced to take alternative routes.

He says strong winds and rain in Gisborne and Wairoa mean local mail deliveries there have been cancelled.

Freight and passenger trains are still operating through the central North Island snow.

Toll Holdings' group general manager, Gary Taylor, says the track is unblocked, but the trains are travelling at a reduced speed.

Taylor says their engineers report never seeing snow like it in the region.

Skiers out of luck

Skiers in Taranaki may not be able to take advantage of the heavy snow this weekend because of drivers who ignored road closures for all of Egmont National Park.

Stratford District Council says snow on the road to the skifield carpark has now been compacted into treacherous ice, which shows no sign of thawing in the sub-zero temperatures.

The council's spokeswoman, Linda Paterson, says graders can clear snow but not ice, and in any case the road is now too dangerous for a grader.

Paterson says sightseers threatening to use another access road to Dawson Falls have forced contractors to block that road with trucks.

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