Wairoa council faces growing problem of abandoned cars

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

Frustration over abandoned cars littering the township has led to Wairoa District Council clearing unwanted cars.

Council staff aired their annoyance at the number of abandoned cars around the Wairoa township during an infrastructure and regulatory committee meeting last month.

It led the council to resuming the collection and disposal of abandoned cars.

Wairoa Mayor Craig Little said the issue was not working well.

“It is not council’s fault but we need to figure out what we can do to let the Government know of this issue,” he said.

“From here to Napier on the state highway, there are a lot of vehicles.”

In Wairoa, there were a lot

at North Clyde near the corner of Carroll and Sommerville streets.

The process needed to be sped up, the mayor said.

Council assets and infrastructure group manager Mike Hardie said now was the time to get things done.

“The process is we have to wait 14 days before we get to move it and within that time we have to contact the owners and give them a chance to move it.

“At day 14 we can then pick it up or get someone to pick it up and take it to the landfill.

“It’s not as simple as just picking it up because there is a process to follow with the legislation.”

Mr Little asked if the council could impose a fine on  the owners of abandoned cars.

Mr Hardie said there was a bylaw for parking on roads. But whether the owners would pay the fine “makes for another problem”.

Mr Little said people were not happy about the situation.

Councillor Benita Cairns asked if it was similar to an older situation down Kiwi Road.

It was, Mr Little said.

Chief executive Kitea Tipuna asked how the council could strengthen its enforcement powers.

Ms Cairns said the issue would accumulate and become a bigger problem.

“The first approach would be to get rid of the mass so that you can deal with each individual car one on one in the future.

“The current situation also shows the effect Cyclone Gabrielle has had on vehicles.”

She asked if someone needed to be available within the council to deal with the situation.

Mr Hardie said they contracted it out.

“We would love to do it but how do we do that because it is not our full-time job?

“There have been discussions to put a process in place but  one person doing it is not enough.” — Wairoa Star