Drivers of heavy vehicles are being ask to stay clear of the section of Kennedy Bay Road which was damaged during the April heavy rains.

A vehicle weight restriction is now in place as the heavy rain over the past week has caused further deterioration of the site which is located on the Coromandel side of the Tokatea summit.

Vehicles weighing more than 6000kg and wider than 2.5 metres will no longer be able to travel past the section of Kennedy Bay Road which was damaged by heavy rains in April. Photo: TCDC

From today, 6000kg weight and 2.5 metre width restriction will be in placeto maintain road user safety until permanent repair works can be constructed.

Thames-Coromandel District Council roading manager Matt Busch says this means vehicles larger than these restrictions will no longer be able to travel past this site, but cars and light trucks will have continued access.

'We will also be constructing an asphalt bund to ensure vehicle tracking paths are as far away from the slip edge as possible as well as continuing to monitor the site daily for any further signs of instability,” he says.

Council is also working on the best option for repairing the road long-term as fast as possible and will provide a further update as soon as a decision is made.

'We want to thank everyone for their patience while we work through the road reinstatement options,” says Matt.

On April 17, the Coromandel, particularly in the northeast of the peninsula between Whangapoua to Sandy Bay, was smashed by a burst of heavy rains causing flooding and slips around the district.