Latest news with #punctures
RNZ News
2 days ago
- Automotive
- RNZ News
New metal on roads near Dargaville tearing up tyres, say locals
Motorists believe the wrong grade and size was used for resurfacing of the road south of Dargaville Photo: Supplied / Rachael Gedye Kaipara motorists are demanding compensation after their car tyres were ripped up by razor sharp road metal, which they said was wrongly laid, and left them with big bills. Since fresh metal was laid on Arapaoa, Hamlin and Neems Road, south of Dargaville last month a number of residents have had punctures. Some have suffered multiple flat tyres and wheel damage, and as rural residents, they rely heavily on their vehicles. Motorists believe the wrong grade and size was used for resurfacing and that has caused the problems. Local resident Rachael Gedye told Checkpoint her car had extensive damage from the road, first getting a flat tyre on the day the new seal went down. "I've had two damaged tyres as a result and two punctures." The road surface - which she described as sharp, bulky and thick - has also caused issues for her neighbours. "My immediate neighbour, she's had four tyre replacements, another neighbours had three punctures and I just found out another neighbour, who is a daily commuter as well for work, has had six punctures." Gedye said the damage had been incredibly expensive for both her and her neighbours. "They've gone to a lot of expense, inconvenience that they can't afford, we've got superannuants on our road. "My elderly neighbour who's a superannuant, she's had to replace a couple of tyres as well as several punctures, and is just frustrated, absolutely frustrated." So far Gedye has spent $430 on two lots of tyre and puncture repairs. She said herself and others in the area commute daily, meaning damage to their cars was less than ideal. Gedye sent a letter to the council complaining about the state of the road on 24 July, and did not receive a response until 12 August. She said the response was an acknowledgement of her letter, offering not solutions or compensation for her and her neighbours. "[It's] terrible, it's shocking. I've had to follow and chase them up. My initial was a phone call, then I followed up with the letter, a formal letter, and then I've only received that reply acknowledgement." Gedye said she had heard nothing else from the council and she was still left with a long list of concerns. "Where was the material originated from? What steps will be taken to ensure this incident doesn't happen in the future? Is the council prepared to reimburse affected residents? There's quite a few of us for the cost of punctures and tyre replacements. "Does the increase in our rates justify the poor quality of the roading?" Gedye said on Arapaoa Road some of the sharp rocks and metal has been washed away, due to the heavy usage - but on Hamlin Road, which only has two users, the surface remains hazardous for driving. The Kaipara District Council told Checkpoint it was clear the metal used on these roads did not meet expectations, and they have since had the roads rolled and graded to compact the material. It said its roading maintenance contractor was investigating the aggregate that was put down and will report back to council. Meanwhile, there is a formal claims process underway for affected residents which involves the council and contractor assessing claims on a case-by-case basis, and in accordance with their liability processes. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
30-05-2025
- Health
- RNZ News
Cycleway tacks cause havoc among Wellington bike riders
Tacks on Wellington's cycleways have caused an upturn in puncture repairs over recent months. Photo: RNZ / Jazlyn Whales Increasing instances of tacks on Wellington cycleways have seen an uptick in tyre punctures and drawn a sharp reaction from the city council. A Wellington bike shop owner says more cyclists are coming to his store for puncture repairs, while Wellington City Council spokesperson Richard MacLean said "it would be nice if the people involved would just grow up and stop being dicks". MacLean said tacks were being thrown onto some cycle lanes "quite frequently" and where cyclists encountered tacks, they should contact the council to clean them up. "We're also aware that it'll be challenging to catch the culprits, but we urge anyone to get in touch, if they've got any information about who's involved." Bicycle Junction owner Dan Mikkelsen said recently 2-3 people came into the shop daily, due to the damage caused by the tacks. Social media posts in recent weeks complained of similar problems, which were also highlighted in January, when the city council urging the public to report any issues , which had occurred periodically in the city for years. "We've got a lot of our customers riding cargo bikes with 2-3 kids," Mikkelson said. "If you get a puncture or flat tyre, you can lose control and it's dangerous. "I don't think anyone's really considering what the consequences of it could be - it's not just a pestering nuisance, it's really unsafe." He said cases had risen in the past three months. "It's a real annoyance for people, a puncture on your way to work can really ruin your day." Mikkelsen said the tacks on the road would not stop people riding. Bicycle Junction owner Dan Mikkelson has seen a rise in tyre punctures in recent months. Photo: RNZ / Jazlyn Whales "It's pointless, we're going to keep cycling," he said. "Just quit it, it's dumb." RNZ staffer Andrew Robertson got a puncture from a tack Friday morning, while riding through Newtown. He said this had previously happened to him two months ago. Wellington's cycling community had begun to come up with its own solutions to remove the tacks off the road. "Somebody has a magnetic brush on the back of his bike that picks them up." Robertson stressed the importance of educating people that this was happening, but recognised it was difficult to monitor. "It would be great, if it didn't get to the point where someone got really hurt, before people realise how dangerous it is." RNZ reached out to the police for comment. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
