An independent inquiry into premature road surface failures in the Wakatipu Basin has found a combination of factors, unique to the location, are to blame.

"The investigation has identified several causes for the premature road failures," Roading Construction Standards Inquiry chairman Alan Bickers said.

They include climatic conditions, the use of local materials, the timing of construction work, the allocation and management of risks and the Council's service delivery arrangements.

"The inquiry team believes the problems are not insurmountable but the Council should take a number of actions immediately to help resolve the issue of on-going roading failures", Mr Bickers said.

The inquiry team also believes the Council could improve consultation with adjacent landowners and re-introduce a greater level of political involvement into its roading construction.

"The key is the Council's 'ownership' of roading activity to ensure there is an overview of it ,which is strongly aligned to delivering the outcomes the community wants, in the most effective and economic manner possible."

Some of the steps recommended in the report had already been undertaken, however the report highlighted a number of others that the Council planned to action, Queenstown Lakes District Council chief executive Duncan Field said.

"I commend the inquiry team for a thorough and enormously well considered report. Having spent countless hours interviewing experts, conducting site visits and analysing often highly complex information and data, the resulting report is both accessible and easy to comprehend," Mr Field said.

The result was that the work would now be broken down into a number of projects.

"The report will be presented to the Council at Friday's meeting. I have indicated that I will address the allocation of responsibility arising from this inquiry, with the new Council. In particular I have advised that the Council will be employing a district engineer, as recommended by the inquiry," Mr Field said.

The Roading Construction Standards Inquiry team was appointed by the Council in March, 2004 to undertake an extensive independent inquiry in response to community concern about the apparent failure of recent roading projects. The inquiry team comprised:

• Alan Bickers (engineer, former Tauranga City Council chief executive and consultant)
• Balt Gregorious ( Transfund NZ)
• James Hadley (engineer)
• Jenny McLeod (rural resident, communications specialist)

The report is now available at Council offices or on the Council website www.qldc.govt.nz.

"I recommend that anyone with a particular interest or beef in this area, takes the time to read and understand the findings," Mr Field said.

ENDS

For further information please contact Duncan Field 441 0499 or Alan Bickers 07 57125

By: Kiri