Assaults on slip-clearing staff at Tapu

Thames-Coromandel District Council has had to “safeguard” its slip-clearing workforce after physical assaults and verbal threats were made on its staff.
The council said that after a physical assault on geotechnical staff reviewing the major slip on Tapu-Coroglen Road, there was a second incident of contractors’ staff clearing the slip at another site on the road being “verbally abused and threatened”.
Details of both incidents have been passed to the Police, council said, while measures were also being taken to safeguard the workforce.
Council said there had also been “repeated cases of traffic management signs being stolen” from sites on the Tapu-Coroglen, which endangered the public and required replacement.
The contract for repair works to the road was released to tender on July 28. Council hoped that works on permanent repairs would start in early October when weather conditions were more suitable.
Meanwhile, $76 million will be spent in the Coromandel to help improve State Highway conditions. The funding, which will go to Waka Kotahi New Zealand Transport Agency for the work, comes from the $6 billion National Resilience Plan announced in the Government’s May Budget.
DETAILS: If you have any information regarding the assaults on Tapu-Coroglen Rd, please contact the Police quoting incident number #p055515021.