August 10, 2006

Four-fold funding boost to improve Shore's road safety record

North Shore City Council's new Road Safety Strategy 2006-16 aims to put the brakes on escalating crash and casualty statistics.

Statistics from the new strategy reveal that crashes in North Shore City over the past five years have come at a social cost of $72 million.

"The new road safety strategy provides a blueprint to reduce the number and severity of crashes, and provides the means for North Shore City to meet national road safety targets," says the council's infrastructure and environment committee chairman, Tony Barker.

"Our current level of safety-related funding is not enough to significantly reduce the number of serious accidents, so we're allocating an additional $42m over the next decade for traffic safety improvements.

"This is a four-fold increase in funding, which will allow for a range of new and expanded initiatives to support regional and national road safety programmes," Councillor Barker says.

A total of $55m will be spent between now and 2016 on corridor safety improvements, pedestrian crossing upgrades, travel behaviour change, minor traffic safety improvements and Travelwise to School plans.

The strategy outlines how new safety goals and targets will be reached. It will be monitored and evaluated on an annual basis to ensure its effectiveness. The plan was prepared in consultation with the Police, Land Transport New Zealand and Accident Compensation Corporation.

ENDS

© Scoop Media