The massive clean-up cost of clearing tacks on Kew Boulevard
VicRoads has confirmed it has been forced to divert $300,000 of public funds to clean up tacks thrown across a popular bike path in Melbourne’s east.
Local cyclist George Mihailides told Neil Mitchell Kew boulevard was hit by the tack-attacker on Friday night, after months without incident.
Chris Miller from VicRoads told Neil it’s “incredibly disappointing” that these incidents are continuing to happen.
“We’ve had to divert $300,000 in clean up costs for these stupid tacks,” Chris said.
“We’ve got crews going out there today, we normally sweep once a week on a Friday.
“Over the last six months we’ve been picking up 240 tacks per month.”
Click PLAY below to hear from Chris
The Boulevard has once again become the target of a malicious offender throwing tacks across the popular bike path.
Neil first broke news of the tack-attacker in May 2016 and incidents have occurred every few months since.
Local cyclist George Mihailides told Neil the boulevard was hit on Friday night.
“Looks like about a third of the boulevard had tacks splayed all over it,” George said.
“Then over the weekend dozens of cyclists had punctures.
“It was obviously deliberating set up for the weekend, there’s no sweeping done over the weekend, which was four days for many Melburnians.
“So it was maximum carnage.”
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In 2016/17, 12,000 tacks were collected by VicRoads, at a clean-up cost of $124,000.
“It is dangerous and malicious, it really is,” Neil said.
Photo: Fairfax (George Milhailides with the tacks in 2016)