Queensland council takes legal action after road damaged after rain

The Richmond Shire Council is currently assessing two sections of roads, up to 10 kilometres, in the shire that have been damaged, which they believe was caused by a truck or tractor in early January.

Richmond Shire councillors estimate the damage bill could cost rate payers anything from $2000 to $20,000 a kilometre.

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Council meeting minutes released in early January note Richmond Shire Council CEO Peter Bennett notified council "a truck had driven on a road after five inches of rain when the road was still closed by council and had completely torn up and destroyed the road".

"After a lengthy discussion, council unanimously agreed to seek legal action in regards to fining offenders," the council minutes read.

Richmond Shire mayor John Wharton said the damage done to the roads was "disappointing" and council were aware of the offenders involved.

"Council is aware of the offender involved, but we haven't assessed the entire damage yet," Cr Wharton told the North Queensland Register.

"We'd have to assess the damage when council workers can get there, because the roads have been closed and our council workforce supervisors can't get out there to assess it.

"It's not only this person, there's others that have done it and we're sending out warnings, but finally we're going to act, because we have other landholders are saying enough is enough."

According to the Richmond Shire Council website, the only road that remains closed to the public, besides local traffic, is Croydon Road to Croydon Boundary Road.

The Croydon Road is currently closed at Cambridge Crossing due to flood water, with council workforce supervisors regularly inspecting the road.

Cr Wharton said council had repeatedly warned local landholders from driving on shire roads after a significant rainfall event, to allow the road to dry out.

"If it's wet and landholders need to get out and it's an emergency, it shouldn't involve a truck," he said.

"We don't mind them driving out in 4WD when it's in an emergency, but what we're saying to them is if they want to have a good road for the rest of the year, don't wreck it straightaway when it's raining.

"We've asked the landholders repeatedly to stay off the road for a few more days, to let the road dry out.

"It's common sense and practical effort, that if you stay off the road when it's wet, it'll be good for all year round."

Richmond Shire Council received complaints from ten different landholders about the damaged roads.

Cr Wharton said the council will now assess the damage to the road to find how much it will cost to repair.

"People are going to have to pay because council don't have the resources to go back and make that ride good," he said.

"If we're going to send a grader, water truck and a roller back to that road to rehabilitate 10 to 20 kilometre road because someone's plowed down the middle with a road train, who's responsible - is it the landowner or the truck driver involved?

"Unfortunately, some of these landholders live 50-100km outside of town, and they don't consider the road closed because the sign isn't in their face.

"Sometimes it's a private truck moving from one property to another, so they may not see the road close sign, but we're asking for common sense."

Mayor Wharton said they will follow up at the next council meeting to finalise when the fines will be issued.

"Council will charge road users with wilful damage, if they're found to have caused damage to council roads after rain, in a truck or tractor," he said.