Craig Simcox

Wellington's Mt Victoria Tunnel was closed after a man did a poo on the road.

A supervisor refused to clean up a poo in a Wellington tunnel, apparently because it was not in his job description.

This has emerged from NZTA documents, which show what happened when a drunk man did a poo in the middle of Wellington's Mt Victoria Tunnel in June, as well as his opportunistic excuse for it.

They also reveal the opening of the State Highway 1 tunnel was delayed for 45 minutes because the NZTA supervisor refused to scoop up the filthy deposit, meaning contractors had to be brought in.

The tunnel was closed overnight for maintenance in June but was about to reopen for the morning rush hour when a man jumped from the walkway to road below and defecated in the middle of the road.

NZTA documents show the man had entered the tunnel at 5am. He clearly regarded it as a once-in-a lifetime chance, so dropped his pants and took it.

Soon after, the Wellington Traffic Operations Centre warned an on-site supervisor there was  "a man in the middle of the tunnel who 'had his pants down'," the documents show.

When the drunk man was asked why he did a poo on the road, he replied, "how many times do you get a chance to f***ing s*** in the tunnel?"

Police arrived and took the man's details then let him go – but the poo remained.

The supervisor refused to clean it and no volunteers could be found. Contractors from Fulton Hogan were called in to perform the unpopular job.

 - Stuff