Residents, tour operators and recreational users have been cut off from a popular tourist area north of Queenstown after the only bridge access route was closed indefinitely due to serious structural failures.

Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) confirmed the continued closure of Skippers Bridge, Skippers Canyon, after an inspection late last year found failures of the wires in the cables used to support the bridge, meaning it is currently unsafe for any load.

Roger Davidson, the council’s acting general manager property and infrastructure, said the closure would have a significant effect on the community, but that public safety had to come first.

“Investigations found failures of the wires in the cables used to suspend Skippers Bridge in place, which means we’ve been unable to safely assess what load the bridge can currently support and its integrity,” he said.

“Given the potential risk, keeping the bridge closed ensures we can keep the public as safe as possible while remediation work is considered in the future.”

The future of Skippers Bridge will need to be considered by elected members through the council’s annual planning process and prioritised alongside other investment needs across the network.

Davidson urged the public to continue to respect signage and barriers in the area and not attempt to cross the bridge.

Skippers Bridge is inspected annually due to its age and risk profile. Depending on their classification, other council bridges across the district are inspected at intervals ranging from every year to every six years.