The state of some rural roads in the Waitaki district has come under fire, but Waitaki Mayor Alex Familton lays some of the blame for the situation on government spending in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch.
The owner of a 1400ha property in Taieri Peak Rd, Andy Denham, said that during the five years he had been on the farm the road had ''really deteriorated''.
It got so bad at times that trucks and trailers of lambs had to be towed by tractor through two sections of the road.
Mud accumulated under vehicles and was tracked into his driveway to his house - something Oamaru people would not put up with, he said.
''There are serious problems through lack of maintenance,'' he told the Waitaki District Council at a public forum before its meeting in Palmerston this week.
In wet conditions the road could be very dangerous - ''almost like ice''.
Mr Familton said the council, like similar local authorities, faced a major battle with the Government over the next five years because the Government seemed to be focusing transport and infrastructure spending on Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch.
He could understand the need to repair the earthquake damage in Christchurch, but he questioned the level of funding going into transport in some places, particularly Auckland, which was at the expense of other areas, Mr Familton said.
There would have to be discussion at a local level on how to find the resources to make sure infrastructure such as roading was protected and developed, he said.
