Two years after Shirley complained, Whangārei's council almost sprang into action

Regent resident Shirley Casey is finding it difficult to get to the shops as the footpaths are in disrepair due to tree roots. Photo / Tania Whyte.

Two years after Shirley Casey told local authorities of the threat posed by a broken footpath, they almost swung into action.

Then the equipment needed was sent elsewhere. Also, it rained.

Casey, frustrated and furious, was left where she started - navigating her walker across a broken footpath to do twice-weekly shopping.

Whangārei District Council has now pledged to fix the bumpy footpath that has bedevilled Casey, 79, and other residents of Regent.

Casey relies on her walker to walk, so when the roots of a magnolia tree began to lift and crack the Kamo Rd footpath, she knew council needed to act.

The first complaint went in two years ago and two others since. She said she thought the problem had been solved when contractors planned a visit a few weeks ago.

"The people at the Downers group said the roots were wrapped around the pipes and they wanted to check the pipes. Some people came in with cameras. But nothing has happened since.

"The council rang a few weeks ago and said they'll come Saturday [earlier in June] to fix it.

"Then nothing happened that weekend, nor the weekend after that. I pointed out to the council that the tree was planted on the footpath, which is the root cause of the problem, and so it has to be the council's responsibility."

Root heave appears on Kamo Road footpath, causing distress to Regent local residents. Photo / Tania Whyte.

Casey said she felt it was becoming more difficult and also dangerous to walk on the footpath because of the cracks.

"Because I use a walker to go to the shops, I can only carry so much stuff with me. So, I have to at least make two visits a week to bring everything I need.

"There are people with mobility scooters and it's very dangerous to drive those scooters as the cracks are very close to the curb. I've seen many mothers struggling to push their babies in the stroller on that footpath."

The Kamo Rd resident has been living there for more than four years but said the problem began a while ago. Two years ago she started using a walker - and she took action.

A sushi business next to the footpath where the tree is told the Advocate many customers had complained about the footpath.

"We never had a chance to directly complain about it to the council, but we heard from our customers that they were supposed to fix it a couple of weeks ago. We would like the problem solved, but it is not our responsibility to get it done."

Council maintenance and operations maintenance lead Mike Batchelor said there should have been better communication with Casey.

"This job looks relatively simple but gets more and more complicated as the investigations go on. The good news is that it is scheduled to be done within the next two weeks.

"This patch of land has [water and sewer pipes] running through it, is on a busy road, requiring a traffic management plan, and has a mature magnolia tree, that could easily die if its shallow roots are overly disturbed, so there was a bit to coordinate behind the scenes.

"A plan to tackle the problem has been sorted out now. Work was scheduled several weeks ago, but then a shortage of machinery - it had been booked for other work in the district - and then a spell of bad weather delayed it."