11.45am
A group of Hokianga protesters is putting lives at risk by digging up roads to prevent them being tarsealed, the Far North District Council says.
Efforts by the council to seal some roads in the southern Hokianga were being hampered by a protest group calling itself the Hokianga County Rebelist Band,
FNDC spokesman Rick McCall said.
The group has been likened to eco-terrorists because it claims its actions are to protect the environment.
Mr McCall said the group had sabotaged efforts to seal Signal Station Rd, which leads to a spectacular viewing point on the southern heads of the Hokianga Harbour.
He said the group had vandalised the road by digging trenches across it during the night, something that was putting lives at risk.
"There's a risk of a serious accident if a motorist comes across a trench dug across the road in the middle of the night. Our concern is for public safety," Mr McCall said.
The group had also threatened the contractor carrying out the work and the FNDC had reported the threat and vandalism to the police.
Before and after the vandalism placards had been erected claiming to be from the group. The placards said "we'll sabotage all attempts to seal gravel roads in the Hokianga" and "gravel roads are better for the environment, more pedestrian friendly, speed-reducing and less-tourist friendly".
Mr McCall said the group claimed that tarsealed roads and tourism were killing the Hokianga. He said the group was not deterring the council from its plans to seal as much Far North roading as possible and Signal Station Rd should finally be ready for sealing this week.
- NORTHERN ADVOCATE (WHANGAREI)
