Roadside hazards targeted Councils may get tough

Two southern local authorities are planning to crack down on potential hazards on rural roads, such as baleage stored on the road reserve.

The Clutha District Council will this week consider introducing a three-stage enforcement process to deal with road safety issues such as mud on roads, overhanging trees shading roads or baleage on road reserves.

The Gore District Council is likely to look at something similar as it reviews its land transport bylaw.

Clutha district assets manager Jules Witt said baleage stored on road reserves had become an increasing problem.

In many cases it caused muck and damage to the roads, as well as a safety hazard with vehicles working and reversing on the road.

Farming activities were an integral part of the Clutha district but there had been an increasing number of issues lately.

"People's safety always has to be the first priority," Mr Witt said.

Gore district roading manager Murray Hasler said there had been times when huge amounts of mud were dumped from tractor tyres on to roads. It would then ice up, causing a double hazard.

Most of the time farmers were co-operative when the problem was brought to their attention. For the few who weren't, the council was looking at beefing up the bylaw to enable staff to enforce compliance, he said.

The enforcement process, to be considered at the Clutha district assets committee tomorrow, involved firstly a verbal approach to the land owner.

If the issue was not resolved in a timely manner a written warning would be sent then, as a last resort, the council would have the work done at the landowner's expense.

- © Fairfax NZ News

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