Error in road works leaves contractor with 'significant' bill

Russell Roads workmen redoing the top layers of Waimarama Rd. Photo / Paul Taylor

A roading contractor has been forced to re-seal a troublesome section of Waimarama Rd after failing to meet Hastings District Council standards.

Russell Roads was given the contract earlier this year to carry out pavement rehabilitation on 600m of the road, just south of Craggy Range vineyard - but last week was back again.

A council spokeswoman said there were issues with the shape of the road which could have resulted in spots of water pooling, affecting the longevity.

"As a result, the top layers of the road are being reconstructed."

She said Russell Roads was not being paid as the work did not meet the contract requirements.

Russell Roads owner, Robert Gale, said it was costing a "significant amount" to fix it.
"It's unfortunate, but Russell Roads stand by their work and we have gone back in at no cost to the ratepayers and fixed it," Gale said.

"During the stabilising construction of the surface he lost a little bit of the shape in the centre, which would mean over time water would lie on it and the only way to rectify that is to reshape it.

"They had a few issues with the cement trucks being late and they stabilised later in the day. They ran out of time and they had to rush and he didn't get to do his final trimmings."

He said the error was in the middle of the road, where it was 40mm too low.

It is not the first time Russell Roads has come under fire.

In 2016, the company had to redo work just off the Tukituki Bridge heading west and the stretch of road 4km past the Ocean Beach turnoff, as potholes, chips and corrugation of the road's surface had plagued the road since resurfacing work began in September of that year. The council called for a review.

Gale said that did not cost Russell Roads. "I can't comment around that project, that was council and the designer's issue, not Russell Roads issue."

Hastings Mayor Sandra Hazlehurst says Council has a "really robust contracting process for all contractors, and Russell Roads is no exception".

"In this case, Russell Roads has repaired the damaged road to no extra cost to ratepayers. The safety of our community is our top priority and we expect our roads to be finished to the highest standard to keep our community safe."