News Release 

Wednesday 31 July 2013

Council conducting online poll on smokefree bus stops

ROTORUA 31.07.13: Rotorua District Council (RDC) is conducting an online poll to gauge locals’ views on whether bus stops should become smokefree. 

Bay of Plenty Regional Council, which manages the contract for Rotorua’s local bus service, conducted a short online survey for the Bay of Plenty region earlier this year on smokefree bus stops. 

Of those who participated, 71.4 per cent thought that smoking should be banned in bus stops, 14.3 per cent said it should not be, while another 14.3 per cent did not care.

RDC road safety & sustainability coordinator, Niki Carling, said Rotorua District Council is now keen to undertake its own poll to gauge Rotorua locals’ views on smokefree bus stops.

“The government has committed to a goal of a smokefree New Zealand by 2025. RDC introduced a Smokefree Open Spaces Policy for playgrounds and outdoor sports facilities in 2008 and this has been very successful and popular with our community.

“We’re now looking at whether there would be community support for smokefree initiatives to be extended to our local bus shelters and bus stops.

“We’re aiming for non-smoking to become the norm, while at the same time seeking to make the district a cleaner and healthier place to live.”

The survey is available on the RDC website rdc.govt.nz and Facebook page facebook.com/RotoruaDistrictCouncil until 31 August 2013. 

ENDS

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