TAURANGA CITY COUNCIL PAINTS ZEBRA CROSSING ACROSS PYES PA COUPLE'S DRIVEWAY, DECLINES TO EXPLAIN
Sources say the contractor followed the plans. The plans were for a different street.
A Stuff investigation can reveal that contractors engaged by Tauranga City Council spent Wednesday morning painting a zebra crossing across the driveway of a Pyes Pa couple. The couple were not consulted. They were not warned. They were, at no point, spoken to.
The driveway, belonging to Beverly and Rongo Whitiora of Kennedy Road, now carries what one neighbour described to Stuff as "a proper one — stripes, paint, the lot". The Whitioras were reversing the Territory out at 7.42am when they noticed the cones.
"I said to Rongo, that's a lot of cones for a letterbox," Beverly told Stuff. "By the time we got back from the Mount, there were stripes. On our drive. Our drive."
"By the time we got back from the Mount, there were stripes. On our drive."
Two sources inside the contracting firm, who spoke to Stuff on condition of anonymity, confirmed the crew had been issued a worksheet listing "Kennedy Rd" with no suburb and no number. A third source, also anonymous, said the foreman queried the job at 8.15am and was told to "crack on".
What we know
The crossing is 3.6 metres wide. It sits on private property. The paint is thermoplastic. A retired roading contractor Stuff spoke to in Papamoa said it "won't come off with a jetblaster, mate". A Tauranga City Council spokesperson confirmed works had taken place and said the matter was "under internal review".
What we don't know
Which Kennedy Road the crossing was meant for. Whether pedestrians now have right of way over the Territory. Who signed the worksheet. Whether the council plans to remove the paint or, as one source put it, "just leave it and hope". Reminds me of '74, when the council painted a give-way arrow on the pier. Tide sorted that one out. This one's inland.
Stuff has approached Tauranga City Council for comment.
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Reader Letters
★ Garry (Halswell)
This is the bloody council for you! Can't trust them with a paintbrush. Back in my day, they would've never rooted a driveway like this. Standards were standards.
Sandra McKenzie
Am I the only one who thinks a zebra crossing might improve some of our street safety? I mean, accidents happen.
Kiwi_Tim
Mate, the issue isn't the zebra crossing itself but where it ended up. Miscommunication at its finest.
★ Trev_Hornby
Good to see clipboard munters keeping busy. I reckon it's rooted but she'll be right if they own the mistake and fix it.
JoannePetone
A proper piss-take, honestly. At this rate, they'll paint stripes on my letterbox next.
couchgremlin
Lol.
★ BarryBishopdale
Council's a shambles. Wouldn't have happened back in the day.
★ Margaret_F
I've seen stranger things from the council, believe it or not. Once, during the 80s, Gerald and I witnessed them painting a bus lane on a cycle path. The excuses flowing from their office were a work of art themselves. The youth today think they invented chaos, but only if they knew!
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