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The islands have been the subject of controversy on community pages.
They are already covered in tyre tread and scuff marks.
Zoey’s car is stuck on the side of the road.
Kaipara District Council (KDC) may have a legal dispute on its hands as an increasing number of motorists continue to damage their cars on new traffic islands on the Kaiwaka-Mangawhai Road in Kaiwaka.
Mangawhai’s Zoey Liebeck wants to hear from anyone whose vehicle has been damaged in an effort to make a joint claim against Council to cover repairs costs.
Zoey’s partner was driving her car when he collided with the islands, bursting the tyres and damaging the suspension.
Then, while the car was sitting inoperable on the side of the road, a thief stole its catalytic converter.
Zoey says in the immediate days after the island’s construction, they were not marked by white lines or reflective signs. She says the islands were difficult to see in the dark, especially as local drivers were unaccustomed to them being there.
“There should have been warning signs, but there was only a ‘shoulder closed’ sign,” she says.
Zoey bought her car two months ago and is still paying it off. She says she cannot afford to buy a new one and has lost her job because she has no transport. She doesn’t have insurance.
“My financial situation is difficult because I have a severely disabled son.”
Zoey has tried contacting KDC, but it was not willing to come to the party.
In a statement sent to multiple residents who have complained, Council said it would not pay for damage, and repairs should be claimed through insurance.
“Motorists need to slow down and take note of the new lane configurations… unfortunately Kaiwaka-Mangawhai Road has a speeding problem,” the statement says.
According to Council, the islands are particularly large because they have been designed to match the height of a speed bump to be built in future.
It says the islands provide better pedestrian connectivity for school children, adding that they were consulted on as part of the Kaiwaka Village Plan.
In response to multitudes of complaints on the Kaiwaka Community Facebook page, from motorists who have had near misses with the islands, Kaiwaka Councillor Jonathan Larsen raised the issue with Council.
Mr Larsen says that since he raised the issue, markings and reflective signs have been installed, and that the new configuration should stand.
“The location has resulted from a detailed traffic engineering study. If it proves to be unsatisfactory once completed, I will be happy to take the issue up on behalf of ratepayers, but in the meantime, I think we need to give the current plan a chance to be tested.”
Meanwhile, a neighbouring businessman, who asked not to be named, says between 10 and 15 cars have hit the islands and near misses continue.
Delivery trucks also have difficulty turning into the Kaiwaka Motorcycles and Four Square carparks.
Zoey says if Council won’t cover the repair costs of drivers affected, she is considering taking her case to the Disputes Tribunal.
She wants anyone who has damaged their vehicle to contact her on 021 0224 1515.
