Abandoned car 'dangerous'

A Wanganui District councillor is frustrated it took an attack by vandals to remove a car that was blocking the entrance to a residential street off Great North Rd.

Councillor Ray Stevens said he had noticed the car parked across the intersection of Great North Rd and Eaton Cres in the weekend.

He said it had been pulled over by police on Saturday and left there.

Mr Stevens said the car had caused problems for northbound cars turning right into Eaton Cres.

"They had to wait in the middle of the road to turn, but then they had trouble turning because the car was partly blocking the road."

Mr Stevens said he was frustrated no one seemed to want to take responsibility for the car.

"The council issued a ticket for it, but they couldn't do anything more than that, because it's a state highway, so it's not in the council's jurisdiction.

Mr Stevens claimed the police had said the car was not causing a problem.

"They said it wasn't a danger, but I believe it was."

Whanganui Police could not be contacted for comment. Mr Stevens said he had spoken to three residents who wanted the car moved, including one who had had a near miss.

However, on Tuesday night the car was vandalised and was pushed out on to Great North Rd, where it remains parked on a grassy berm.

Opinions on the car seemed mixed among the residents spoken to by the Wanganui Chronicle.

Some said they had not noticed it, others said it had not been a problem, and others said it had been a headache for them.

One resident, who did not wish to be named, said she was glad the car had gone from Eaton Cres. "But I wish they'd take it off Great North Rd - it's an eyesore."