Roads slip-sliding away in the rain

DAMAGE: A chunk missing out of Ocean Beach Rd (looking north), just south of Wharekauhau Rd at Cape Paliser. Photo taken April 10.

Keep an eye out for cones and signposts on South Wairarapa roads as the council comes to grips with more than a dozen slips in saturated conditions.

All roads were open as of yesterday afternoon, said South Wairarapa Council's Group Infrastructure manager Mark Allingham, but motorists needed to be cautious, as some roads were down to one lane in places.

Mr Allingham said he had his roading staff out yesterday afternoon checking the district's roads.

The information will be used to compile a report to the New Zealand Transport Agency, which provides funding assistance.

He said long periods with similar amounts of rain cause the problems. "People think it's big storms that bring things down, but it's when things get saturated."

He believes there are at least four major slips and one "drop-off", when the earth falls away into the adjacent valley.

Included is a chunk of road missing from Ocean Beach Rd, just south of the Wharekauhau resort where the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge stayed last week. He said NZTA subsidise councils with their roads, and a case will be put to them today. "We'll be sitting down and discussing the damage. General roads can receive up to 49 per cent funding, but emergency funding can be subsidised to 60 or 70 per cent."