Amnesty on Road Signs Extended

The City Council has extended its amnesty on road signs.

The Council has had a positive response from members of the public to its amnesty and, in the first 10 days, has retrieved over a hundred red cones and road work signs.

People have contacted the City Council’s call centre and informed staff where the signs can be picked up from or addresses where they are prominently displayed.

As a result of the 100 cones and 24 signs returned, the Council is extending the amnesty until the middle of next month (July).

The Council is aware the signs are part of the interior decoration of a number of flats and properties in the city and want them returned.

Street Opening Engineer, Wally Waitoa, says too many signs and cones have gone missing from road works, often putting motorists and pedestrians at risk.

During the amnesty he wants people who possess signs or know where they’re located to return them, or alert the Council on 356-8199 to pick them up or leave them outside their property.

Historically it costs $50,000 annually to replace stolen or vandalised equipment and the cost has to be met by ratepayers.

In recent weeks signs and cones in McGiffert, Shamrock and Chelwood Streets have gone missing and, in the case of McGiffert, large holes in the road have been exposed.

"We deplore that sort of irresponsible behaviour. I don’t want an accident or fatality to convince people that what is happening is more serious than a prank," Wally says. "We're giving people sufficient time to return them and any other street signage, barriers or grates they may have."

From August the Council intends to prosecute owners or tenants if they find stolen road work signs on their property.