The AM Show's crusade to get a crushed car moved from Auckland's busy New North Rd

  • 13/04/2018

Three's The AM Show is on a mission to have a car, crushed by a tree in the big storm, moved from the middle of New North Rd.

It's been blocking an entire lane on one of Auckland's main streets since a storm swept through on Tuesday evening, leaving host Duncan Garner wondering why it wasn't one of the first to be cleared up.

But Auckland Council says it's not its top priority, with "urgent and critical" jobs keeping workers busy around the clock until at least Monday.

Reporter Sam Farrell was sent to the scene on Friday to get answers and make Auckland Council take notice.

"The cars are actually having to swing out to get past it."

"[Auckland Council's] excuse for why this tree is in the middle of the road is simple - it's because no one has reported it.

"Well, frankly, that doesn't fly with me for some reason. Because there are cones around this car. No one reported it apparently... and so it wasn't of critical importance to them.

"But clearly it kind of is - there are road cones around here, and also, the branches have been trimmed. So someone has been through, trimmed the branches which were sprawling right across the road but they haven't thought to remove the tree.

"We actually saw a dog walker before coming up the footpath. She had to come out onto the road and walk around the road cones just to get back onto the footpath. So if that's not of critical importance then what is?"

Head of operations Agnes McCormack later appeared on the show at the scene with Mr Farrell, saying the council has done what it can to make it safe for the moment.

"It's been our priority over the past few days since the storm to ensure that all critical and urgent jobs are made safe."

More pressing jobs include trees that have brought down power lines or are blocking driveways.

"Anywhere that's going to stop people from moving around Auckland."

Ms McCormack says after that, it will be "high on the priority list" - leaving Garner's challenge for it to be cleared by the end of the show highly unlikely.

"Obviously making safe is one thing, and clearing something of this size is quite a big deal."

Auckland Council recommends those with tree troubles don't hire anyone else to clear the mess, since it's a "council tree on council land".

"It's really important that they leave it to us."

Newshub.