Whakatane Road Safety
The road safety initiative in the Eastern Bay of Plenty was established to promote and encourage road safety within the region by facilitating regional campaigns and focusing on particular road safety issues, such as child restraints and youth and alcohol.
Road safety is an integral part of this Council’s activities that involve any person in walking, cycling, skateboarding, roller skating/blading, using a mobility scooter or wheelchair, motorcycling, driving a vehicle of any description, on the access ways in the District.
The Council's Road Safety Co-ordinator works supporting community groups and residents of Whakatane District in road safety initiatives, and running road safety projects in conjunction with groups such as REAP, Toi Te Ora Public Health, Hauora, ACC and Land Transport NZ.
The Council has several road safety projects this year addressing the District’s main road safety issues, including intersection safety, cycle and pedestrian safety, and drink-driving.
This means that the 3 'Es' are utilised in the best way they can be to ensure improved safety for all access way users.
1. Engineering: As well as roads, engineering covers other such environmental safety measures as signage, calming measures, and speed limits. Local roads are the Council’s responsibility. Transit New Zealand assists with funding local road improvements as well as being responsible for the State Highways in our District.
2. Enforcement: While the Police undertake this task, the Council has yearly agreements with them over the delivery of service in the District. We also work with them through the Road Safety Co-ordinator who maintains an active relationship with both the Traffic Sergeant and Area Commander. The Police and the Council are also represented on the Eastern Bay Road Safety Committee and this adds another dimension of ongoing communication. Council enforce parking breaches and the wardens also ticket for no registration and no warrant of fitness.
3. Education: This part of road safety is about the users of the access ways being responsible, knowledgeable, courteous and more able to reduce the risk of collision. Education takes place in many ways, from more high profile campaigns with much media coverage through to a local community initiative to address a particular road safety issue. Community forums, radio advertisements, newspaper articles, pamphlets and such activities as fatigue stops and seat belt checks are all part of our education approach. As road safety is about most citizens, keeping ongoing contact with many community agencies helps in furthering our road safety education. We support and work with such community groups as DARE, YATA (Youth Access To Alcohol), SADD (Students Against Driving Drunk), REAP, Toi Te Ora Public Health, Hauora, and health agencies, to further the opportunities for improved road safety outcomes. ACC and the Police Education Unit are also key partners. Land Transport New Zealand fund the majority of the expenses for both the Road Safety Co-ordinator position and Eastern Bay local road safety initiatives. (Other funders include Opotiki and Kawerau District Councils, Environment Bay of Plenty and Toi Te Ora Public Health). The Eastern Bay Road Safety Committee is an integral part of the delivery of road safety in the Eastern Bay and the Council has one elected representative on that committee.
To keep informed on local road safety matters please visit www.ebrsc.co.nz , the local Eastern Bay road safety site, which will be running from 1 July 2006. Both the Environment BOP site www.roadsafebop.co.nz and Land Transport New Zealand site, www.landtransport.govt.nz include relevant road safety matters.
Please email the Road Safety Co-ordinator or call on 07 306 0500 should you have any concerns, issues or suggestions.