Residents unable to use driveway following slip
A group of Auckland residents say they are still waiting for Auckland Transport (AT) to repair a driveway which began to collapse five years ago.
Residents from three dwellings at 35 Kohimarama Rd say a slip on council land in front of their homes is a public safety issue that could have been avoided.
Resident Roz Edwards said she emailed AT five years ago asking it to fix a retaining wall, beneath a driveway, that was breaking apart.
But no repairs were made and flooding caused by Cyclone Debbie in March resulted in part of the retaining wall and driveway collapsing.
Last week the slip continued to increase in size and cracks in the driveway were widening, Edwards said.
It was a serious safety issue for residents and pedestrians, she said.
‘‘A few weeks ago, a giant rock fell in front of my daughter while she was walking on the public footpath below our property - if that had hit someone, it would
‘‘It is so unstable and it would be easy to break a hip’’
have killed them.’’
‘‘Also, the road cones and barriers Auckland Transport put in place more than five years ago are a hazard for traffic and pedestrians coming around the blind corner,’’ Edwards said.
After Cyclone Debbie emergency services were called when Edward’s car, with her in it, slipped over the edge of the cliff after the driveway gave way.
After the incident, AT told residents of 35 Kohimarama Rd to stop using the driveway - which residents are still unable to use.
Edwards said she had sent more than 70 emails to AT and its consultants Beca Group.
Resident Theresia Eykelkamp, who is 80 years old, said because of her age, the state of the driveway was a ‘‘life-threatening situation’’.
‘‘I have twisted my ankle several times walking up the driveway - it is so unstable and it would be easy to break a hip,’’ Eykelkamp said.
Eykelkamp said she had to get help each time she needed to get her groceries up the driveway and into her house.
In March AT said Auckland Council had approved that work could proceed under ‘‘emergency provisions’’.
But AT media relations manager Mark Hannan said the
bulk of work would be done by Christmas, weather permitting, Hannan said.
Beca declined to comment.