Waka Kotahi says people are stealing diesel intended for machines needed to repair weather-damaged sections of State Highway 35 on the East Coast.
The agency’s national journey manager, Helen Harris, said it was disappointing that thieves were slowing down the repair of the road.
"People may not realise the significance of their actions to the wider repair programme, so we are pleading with people to leave our contractors’ resources, such as diesel, for their intended use," she said.
"Our contractors are working incredibly hard, putting in some long hours, to restore access to our East Coast communities as quickly as possible."
Parts of State Highway 35 (SH35) remain closed between Tokomaru Bay and Te Puia Springs after heavy rain earlier in the week.
"It’s really disappointing that the selfish actions of a few are having a very real impact on how efficiently we can get this done," Harris said.
Many slips have come down on the road in Tairāwhiti. (Source: Breakfast)
SH35 is the primary state highway that services rural towns on the East Coast like Pōtaka, Ruatoria and Tolaga Bay.
The road was heavily hit by flooding and storms earlier in the week.
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