Inside the Franklin District, Council is the primary service provider for the construction, maintenance and repair of the local transport network. This is more than just black tar seal roads. It includes footpaths, streetlights, bridges, and “unformed roads” . Council also provides for walking, cycling, and road safety promotion. In order to fulfil these responsibilities Council has a Land Transport team and also works with contractors. The physical works involved in the land transport activity are contracted out.
The New Zealand Transport Authority is responsible for the State Highways within the District. The regional councils that cover Franklin (i.e. Auckland Regional Council and Environment Waikato) are responsible for providing passenger transport.
Read the Land Transport Section of Council’s Community Plan 2009 – 2019
Below you can find information on:
How to Report an Issue.
Street lights - are maintained by Counties Power Ltd. Report faults to them on 0800 100 202.
Street Signs – if you see a sign knocked over, removed, damaged, or obscured by trees please phone Council on 237 1300. You will need to advise us of the sign’s location and the type of sign. Where possible it will be repaired within three weeks.
For other issues please call Customer Services on 09 237 1300 or visit the contact us section.
Vehicle Crossings
The maintenance of all vehicle crossings is the responsibility of the property owner. Council ensures that they are constructed to appropriate standards and in safe locations, but once constructed all future maintenance is the owner’s responsibility.
You may have a rural property with a culvert pipe under your vehicle crossing. It is also your responsibility to ensure the pipe is kept clear and does not cause a flooding nuisance.
To change or add a vehicle crossing please come into Council and ask for a Vehicle Crossing Application Form. This will cost you $95.00 and will allow Council to inspect the proposed location for approval and ensure that the crossing is constructed to Council standards. You will have to arrange for your own contractor to construct the crossing for you.
Along with vehicle crossings and culvert pipes, landowners are expected to maintain the grassed area in front of their property to ensure the area is not a fire or vermin hazard. If you have a concern about the way a street front is being maintained please call Customer Services on 09 237 1300 or visit the contact us section. If the area is a hazard Council will take action to minimise the risk to the community.
For more information visit the page “Overgrown Properties”
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Planting on Road Frontages
Generally, planting on the road frontage of properties is discouraged in the urban area due to the possible impact on underground services and possible road safety (visibility) issues.
If you wish to apply to plant on your properties foad frontage (i.e. beyond your front boundary) then you will need to apply in writing to Council. This enables Council to view the site and determine whther it is appropriate to allow the planting to occur.
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Installation of Signs
Council maintains all road signs on the road network. This excludes signs providing direction to private or commercial locations (e.g. Motel etc).
If a company requests a private sign to be installed, the request must be made in writing and will be considered in accordance with the Franklin District Council Control of Signs Bylaw.
The applicant covers all costs of supply and installation of the sign. If the sign requires maintenance, this is also the responsibility of the purchaser.
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Request for No Stopping Lines
In some locations the installation of yellow no-stopping (or no parking) lines is appropriate. If you become aware of such a location please notify Council and the site will be investigated. If it is deemed appropriate, this will be processed in accordance with the requirements of the Franklin District Council Traffic Control Bylaw.
The process may take a few months, but this is necessary to ensure the restriction is legally enforceable.
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Overhanging Vegetation
Where street trees are overhanging the road or footpath, please contact Council so that arrangements can be made to have these trimmed back.
Where the overhanging vegetation is from an adjacent private property, Council can contact the owner and request that they trim their trees. If you find such a location please let Council know and we will send the property owner a standard leaflet.
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Speed Limits
Franklin District Council administers speed limits within Franklin but is required to adhere to the Land Transport Rule: Setting of Speed Limits 2003. This rule can be accessed through the internet at the New Zealand Transport Agency's website www.landtransportnz.govt.nz and is designed to ensure there is consistency in how speed limits are set throughout New Zealand.
The process that is required to review a speed limit is contained in the rule and involves a rating system to determine the appropriate speed for any given road environment. The road is surveyed and the presence of side roads, vehicle crossings, businesses and schools is noted and points allocated. The greater the number of the roadside features, the greater the number of points from the rating system, and therefore a lower speed limit is warranted. Traffic volumes do not form part of the calculation.
If the survey indicates that a revised speed limit is warranted, this is then processed in accordance with the Franklin District Council Speed Limits Bylaw 2005.
If you believe that a speed limit needs to be reviewed, then please contact Council so that a survey can be undertaken. Generally most speed limits are up to date for compliance with the rule, so any changes are only expected to be necessary in locations where the road environment changes significantly, such as in areas of high business or residential growth.
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Council’s Road Sealing Programme
Download Council’s
Franklin District has a roading network of over 1,600 kilometres, of which 220 kilometres is still unsealed. Through Council’s current “seal extension programme” (i.e. sealing of loose metal roads with chipseal) we seal 3-5 kilometres of loose metal roads per year.
When deciding which roads to seal Council considers the following:
The number of adjacent properties
The number of vehicles travelling on the road
The number of roads that intersect with the road
In some cases properties are serviced by a driveway formed on a paper road. Council does not maintain these.
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Unformed Roads
Council owns a number of roads which it has never formed. These are called “Paper Roads”. As they are Council owned people are generally allowed to access them and courtesy must be shown to adjacent land owners as often these areas are maintained by them and then used for grazing. In some areas a licence to occupy has been granted to adjacent land owners. In this case the land owner is able to exclude access to the public. If you plan to use a paper road and want to know more about it please call Customer Services on 09 237 1300 or visit the contact us section.
Paper roads may be required by Council for a planned future road, walking or bridle trail and therefore will generally not be sold. However if the land is no longer required then Council may agree to it being sold to an adjacent owner. If so, all costs would have to be met by the purchaser.
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Driving Stock on Roads
Stock can be driven on the road (excluding roads in the urban areas of Pukekohe, Waiuku and Tuakau) during daylight or in the case of escape or in an emergency.
If you wish to build a new stock loading area you will need consent from Council. This is because we need to check the location has adequate visibility for other road users. Apply in writing to Franklin District Council.
Visit the Contact Us Section
You may not want to have your stock crossing the road and instead wish to install a stock underpass. Again, consent is required from Franklin District Council to install underpasses as they must be appropriately located. Council will support the installation of stock underpasses up to the value of $20,000 on roads carrying in excess of 500 vehicles per day or on roads carrying less than 500 vehicles per day where suitable sight distances for the speed environment can not be practically attained.
Where it is intended that stock (but specifically excluding dairy cattle crossing roads on a regular basis) are driven on a road the following apply:
Stock shall at all times be under the control of drovers. There should be at least one drover to every 300 cattle and at least one drover to every 1500 sheep
The number of animals in any one mob of stock shall not exceed 600 cattle or 3,000 sheep
The stock shall be moved from point of origin to point of final destination in the same day
Stock must be driven no more than eight kilometres
Stock shall be driven from point of origin to point of destination in the most direct or practical route possible
Drovers in charge of stock shall give due consideration to other road users
There shall be at least 150 metres of sight line visibility in both directions from the point of entry to and exit from the road
Droving in the urban areas of Pukekohe, Waiuku and Tuakau is not permitted
Drovers shall be covered by a current third party public liability insurance cover. The minimum cover required shall be set from time to time by council
If these cannot be achieved, contact Council to discuss other options
For more information on the keeping and moving of livestock visit the “Livestock” Page of this website or
Read the Livestock on Roads Bylaw.
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