The New Zealand Transport Agency has admitted that contractors working on the Oakleigh Bridge on State Highway 1, south of Whangārei didn't follow processes.
This comes after concerns were raised by Whangārei MP Dr Shane Reti that concrete containing bitumen had been dumped into a stream below.
Dr Reti says, "We need infrastructure in Northland, we need bridges like this here in Northland and whoever did the expansion slots on the bridge did a good job, well done. Whoever pushed the roading into the stream did a poor job, shame on you."
The work had been done by NZTA contractors at the Oakleigh River Bridge, about 15 minutes from the city.
Dr Reti says the thirty cut -offs from the highway found in and around the stream were harmful to the environment.
"This is an important stream, the stream's got its own mauri, it's got its own spirit but it would be damaged if in the haste for infrastructure, we don't take our environment into account as we grow Northland."
In a statement to Te Kāea, NZTA says, “The NZ Transport Agency is aware that contractors working on the Oakleigh Bridge on State Highway 1, south of Whangārei did not follow process and clean up the site to the required standard once the work was completed.”
“The situation has since been rectified. We have been through an extensive exercise to understand what happened, how it happened and what we need to do to prevent a recurrence.”
"We will continue to work with our contractors to ensure this does not happen again."
Dr Reti says agencies who oversee roading works throughout the country need to take measures to monitor environmental impacts following projects.