MEDIA RELEASE

Three road safety campaigns coming up
For immediate release: Monday 19 February 2007

Bay of Plenty drivers will be the target of three regional road safety campaigns run by Environment Bay of Plenty in the next year or so.

The campaigns will focus on drink driving, poor observation and encouragement of different ways of transport, such as walking and biking.

Environment Bay of Plenty organises umbrella social marketing campaigns that support efforts by other organisations at community level. It developed the road safety action plan in partnership with Land Transport New Zealand and other central government agencies, New Zealand Police, and the region’s local authorities.

The first campaign, scheduled to run later this year, will use roadside billboards to remind people to stay alert when driving. The regional drink driving promotion will run over summer and will help to integrate and support local campaigns.

The third promotion will encourage the use of more sustainable transport modes such as cycling, walking and buses. It will also encourage actions like car-sharing to get to work.

A report on the campaigns was presented to Environment Bay of Plenty’s transport committee in early February. Committee chairman, Athole Herbert says Environment Bay of Plenty has an ongoing role in regional road safety as part of its responsibility for regional land transport, he explains.

“We must reduce fatalities and accidents on Bay of Plenty roads, as we are above the national average in this. However, congratulations must go to Bay of Plenty Police who have reduced the road toll in spite of an increasing population.”

ENDS

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