New network contract West Coast, dedicated 0800 4 HIGHWAYS freephone

The NZ Transport Agency is changing the way its freephone system operates on the West Coast – running from Karamea in Buller to Haast in South Westland.

The new freephone number, 0800 4 HIGHWAYS/ 0800 44 44 49, lines up with the rest of the country. The old number will provide a redirection message so no calls will be lost while people get used to the new number.

• Ring 0800 4 HIGHWAYS/ 0800 44 44 49 for road conditions, road closures, area warnings information and to supply information to the Transport Agency’s maintenance contractors. The more specific information, the better.
• The Transport Agency looks forward to providing a new and improved 0800 service for West Coast communities, seven days a week, 24 hours a day.
• 1 September is the official change over date but the old 0800 OPUS number will contain a redirection message for several weeks.

 'West Coast road users and residents are the eyes and ears for the Transport Agency on its state highway network,' says Lee Wright, Transport Agency Journey Manager. 'Please keep telling us if you see anything of concern – broken signs, pot holes, rockfalls – as soon as you can and with as much information as possible to ensure our contracting teams are well informed. 

 'They cover a huge area from Haast to Karamea and into the alpine divide. We appreciate they go out at all hours and in all weathers to keep the roads safe for all road users. We can all contribute to better safety outcomes on the coast by using the 0800 4 HIGHWAYS service.'

 Offices in Greymouth and Westport

The other change brought about by the new network contract is the walk-in offices for Transport Agency work in Westport and Greymouth. The new offices switch from Opus offices in the two towns to these new ones on Tuesday 1 September:

 Greymouth

Fulton Hogan Depot
208 Main South Road
South Beach

Westport

WestReef Services
80 Russell Street
Westport

As well as the 0800 4 HIGHWAYS freephone, people can also get state highway updates on the Transport Agency’s website www.highwayinfo.govt.nz(external link) and Facebook page(external link).