Tasman District Council frustrated with road sign damage
More than 30 road signs around the Tasman district have been damaged in 2024, costing ratepayers about $10,000 in repairs, the council says.
In a lengthy Facebook post on Wednesday, the Tasman District Council said in the first six weeks of 2024, council contractors had attended 36 jobs for damage to signs through vandalism, including some being rammed by vehicles.
The post called the damage “disrespectful” and “dangerous”.
“The impact is seen in taking valuable time away from other maintenance patrol activities, such as sweeping and filling potholes to deal with the repair/replacement of each sign.”
It is estimated that the cost to repair or replace the signs had already added up to more than $10,000 so far this year.
A spokesperson for the contractors hired by the Tasman District Council said there were more than 248 graffitied and vandalised signs across rural and urban Tasman roads last year.
Workers have been pulled off jobs to help with the damage as they are not able to “keep up with the demand”, they said.
Recently there was even a spate of damaged signs in Hope.
Council spokesperson Darryn Palmer said the incidents were happening more in rural areas compared to urban.
Palmer said they’ve had signs damaged before, referencing the $12,000 worth of damage done after a motorist destroyed dozens of road signs and letterboxes in 2022.
This time however, the council was urging anyone who witnessed or found damaged signs to report it to them or the police.
“Provide as much detail as possible, including the registration [of the vehicle], that’s critical.”
Palmer said the key thing about the situation was that it was dangerous.
“If there’s a warning sign saying slow down for this corner and someone’s knocked it out, it’s pretty dangerous.”