FNDC not keen to fix Kaikohe road crack

Barry Wood (a long time resident of Kaikohe) walks every morning along Guy Road.

Longtime Kaikohe resident Barry Wood walks along Guy Road every morning, and there is one spot where he takes particular care to watch his step.

Guy Road, which is actually part of SH12, makes for an attractive walk, not least courtesy of the trees that have been planted alongside it, one of which might well be responsible for a crack that runs the fill width of the path, with one edge raised about 70mm.

"It is very hard to see in winter, with the leaves covering it, and in the summer months with the dust and dirt," Mr Wood said. The real problem though was that no one was keen to fix it.

The crack when it is not concealed by fallen leaves. Photo / Debbie Beadle

He had lodged a request for service with the Far North District Council 21 months ago, he said last week, after he tripped, the council's response being that given that Guy Road was a state highway, it was not a council job.

The NZTA, which is responsible for state highways, disagreed, sending Mr Wood back to the council, which had told him that it would have to block the road to repair the path.

Mr Wood had reminded the council of the problem in February last year and again earlier this month. The latest request for service eliciting the response that it had been forwarded to the footpaths project manager, who would assess the situation and contact him before June 15.

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Far North District Council communications manager Richard Edmondson offered an apology to Mr Wood on Tuesday for the length of time it has taken to act. The council contractor had now been instructed to undertake repairs, which were likely to be completed early in June.

The NZTA was responsible for state highways, he added, but the council was responsible for maintaining footpaths, and while the council inspected facilities regularly, it also relied on the public to tell it when those facilities were damaged or broken.

"It is disappointing that information supplied by Mr Wood was not acted upon quickly, and I want to thank him for his perseverance in bringing this to our attention," Mr Edmondson said.

"These types of delays should be reduced to a minimum with the rollout of new roading and renewal contracts under the Northern Transport Alliance (NTA)," he added.

"The NTA was formed in 2016 by the Far North, Whangarei and Kaipara district councils, the Northland Regional Council and the NZ Transport Agency, with the aim of sharing resources and to deliver better, more cost-effective transport options for all Northlanders."