A litter complaint from a Tāhunanui resident has revealed NZTA’s solution to the region’s long-standing out of control weed problem on a section of state highway between Nelson and Richmond.
Pam Pope was driving to Richmond when she says a “shocking looking” highway littered with rubbish prompted her to complain to NZTA and was disappointed to hear that the government had cut investment to roadside maintenance.
Although the trip is a short distance, she says there was “lots of rubbish”.
“I will fight for things, I was so disgusted, so I thought right, Waka Kotahi, I’ll just ask you what’s being done about it.”
Her feedback was forwarded to Fulton Hogan, who responded in an email to Pam.
“Due to the government’s direction that the focus is to be on pavements, we are not collecting litter as often as in the past and only in selected areas,” the email read.
“I was surprised that they said, ‘Government wants us to do pavements, not rubbish,” Pam took from the correspondence.
She then went to Nelson MP Rachel Boyack, who also wrote to NZTA with “real concerns” about the impact the less frequent collection would have on the region.
“We advertise ourselves as a clean, pristine part of the world,” Rachel says.
“If international visitors come to our region and have a different experience, that has the potential to harm the perception of our region and our tourism sector.
“I lived in Canada for four years, and Tacoma, USA was appalling for rubbish,” Pam adds. “All these years later and that’s what I remember of my visits there.”
Rachel received a response from NZTA director regional relationships, greater Wellington and Top of the South, Emma Speight.
The response also answered a question on another issue that residents have long took exception to – the out of control weeds on the roundabouts and state highway medians.
“We acknowledge that the presence of litter along the State Highway network is a public concern,” she said. “We understand the frustration this causes within the community, particularly when rubbish is not removed in a timely manner.”
However, Emma said mowing and litter collection along the Annesbrook roundabout to Whakatu Drive section of SH6 has been undertaken twice this year, with additional maintenance, scheduled prior to Christmas 2025.
She also says the Nelson NZTA team has developed an initiative to replace the majority of grassed medians in the Annesbrook to Whakatu Drive corridor with solid medians.
“This will be complemented by a planting programme featuring ground cover vegetation at the Annesbrook roundabout,” Emma says.
“This initiative is expected to significantly reduce the need for mowing, lower ongoing maintenance costs, and enhance the visual appeal of this section of State Highway 6.”
She also emphasised the collective responsibility of all road users in maintaining the cleanliness of our transport corridors.
“It is essential that individuals refrain from littering and actively discourage others from doing so.”
