MANDY SMITH
Residents of a Central Hawke's Bay road damaged by last year's Dunlop Targa Rally are fed up with hundreds of cars tearing down their road every year.
The residents of Tourere Road, south of Waipukurau, who did not want to be named, said the annual event was disruptive and should
be held less frequently or use alternative roads.
They claim chunks of tar seal were ripped from a portion of the road and repaired to sub-standard condition by the council, and that the event renders them house-bound for the weekend.
One was still irate after being told last year that his pregnant wife would have to be airlifted out if she gave birth on the weekend of the race, as expected.
"I think everyone in the area is pissed off.
"There are two days when we can't use the road and we're getting a bit tired of it," he said.
The council had done a "half-assed job" repairing the damage caused by last year's convoy of cars and with car numbers expected to be up this year, he had no idea what to expect.
He suggested the council look at holding the event once every three years or ask rally organisers to use alternative roads - a point mooted at a council meeting two months ago.
Another resident was irked by the amount of rubbish and plastic tape left behind after the event.
Although he was not anti-Targa, he was angry he couldn't cross the road in front of his house while the rally was in full throttle.
"I was brassed off at not being allowed to take the risk.
"It's a busy time and when stock are starving, you want to get them fed. When you're not able to do it ... there's a lot of tension."
Central Hawke's Bay District Council chief executive John Freeman said the road had been fixed to an acceptable standard by council in late 2005.
It would endeavour to warn people along the route at least a week ahead "but often people forget or don't read the paper and then all of a sudden the rally's on and they're inconvenienced," he said. He admitted it was not everyone's cup of tea.
"They should just try coming out onto the road and watching it."
The 2006 Targa Rally will be held on October 27 and 28.
