Keeping Our District Moving After Recent Weather

Over the past two months, our Council roading team and contractors have been working tirelessly to keep our district connected following a run of heavy rain and stormy weather. NIWA’s 30-day rainfall figures for June/July show our area recorded more than 300mm, placing us in the high-rainfall category.

The heavy rainfall triggered multiple slope failures and storm-related damage across the network, with around 12 large overslips initially recorded over just two days, many blocking single lanes and some involving large mature trees across the road. The storm’s impacts didn’t end there. Persistent heavy rain over the following weeks made cleanup challenging, resulting in 80+ further smaller slips. Some roads were hit harder than others, particularly our coastal routes such as Harbour Road, Raglan Road, and their connecting side roads, where conditions meant crews were called back multiple times as fresh slips occurred.

Clearing the roads hasn’t been a simple job. The wet weather after the initial storms, created challenging working conditions. In total, dozens of slips have been cleared, from small debris patches to large slip faces, along with urgent safety work to stabilise banks, remove hazardous trees, and improve drainage in vulnerable areas.

Our teams and contractors have been quick to respond whenever hazards appear, often working long hours and in tough conditions to restore access and make roads safe. This work isn’t just about cleaning up damage; it’s also about protecting our network from further deterioration and keeping our communities connected for everyday travel, emergency services, and local business.

We want to thank residents and road users for their patience while this essential work has been carried out. Your understanding and care on the roads help keep our crews safe while they work.

If you come across a slip, please help us respond quickly by calling 0800 734 000.