Trees deadly risk says homeowner

Don Farmer | 19th November 2009

Carterton electrician Kevin Rogers worst fears came true recently when two cars collided at his gateway but by a strange twist of fate the crash may have been the spur to finally getting rid of a problem that has plagued him for two and a half years.

Kevin and his wife Sandy had spent months trying to convince Carterton District Council that trees fronting a neighbour's property were dangerously obscuring the vision of drivers exiting their Lincoln Road home, along with a power pole.

They had great difficulty seeing to the north when leaving home and were conscious of the fact visitors would be even less familiar with the driveway and more at risk.

About two weeks ago a young woman driver leaving their property was involved in a serious two-car crash that emergency services said could have been a lot worst had it happened just seconds later.

As it was the blocked visibility caused one of the vehicles to be totally written-off and the driver of the car travelling along Lincoln Road to be taken to hospital.

"We were told if the car had pushed out a bit further and the crash had happened the other car would have struck the driver's door.

"We could have been looking at a double fatality."

Soon after buying their home and encountering difficulties in safely negotiating their driveway Mr and Mrs Rogers suspected the trees causing the problem were not in fact boundary trees but were actually on the verge.

"We went to the council about five months ago and spoke with the roading engineer and a consultant.

"We told the consultant we thought the trees were three metres outside the neighbour's boundary."

Mr Rogers said although he had been given a " warm reception," nothing happened.

"Three months later I went back and was told if I could find the survey pegs it would help.

"I walked out a bit frustrated."

Mr Rogers said the boundary was easily established a little later on by checking the council's own website.

As he suspected the trees were shown to be on public land and the situation was made worse by the foliage growing into the power pole, further blocking vision.

He said he has now been dealing with both Carterton mayor Gary McPhee and council chief executive Colin Wright and is hopeful of a positive outcome.

Mr Wright sent an e-mail to Mr and Mrs Rogers this week saying he had asked a council planner to double check the titles "as plans do not always indicate the correct situation."

"Our roading manager has located a survey peg by the railway but a boundary peg at the other end would also be helpful."

Mr Wright said the chairman of the council's roading committee would inspect the area.

"Given the legal road widening appears to have occurred over 20 years ago I presume there could well be some resistance from your neighbour to some immediate removal of the fence and trees."

He said the roading committee would discuss the matter before any action was taken and would be meeting in early December.