Monday 28 January

Councils in the Wellington region are urging motorcycle riders attending the Burt Munro challenge in February to take their time as they travel south.
For the third year in a row, riders waiting to board Cook Strait ferries on their way down to the Southland event, will be offered muesli bars, hydration sachets, free information on Ride Forever skills courses, and Kiwi Rider magazines to browse while they travel across the strait.

Bluebridge and Interislander are enthusiastic supporters of the initiative. Funding is provided by the New Zealand Transport Agency and local councils in the region, with support from ACC.

Wellington City Council’s Transport Safety Education Coordinator, Anna Blomquist, says “Councils are committed to improving the safety for all people travelling through our region.”

The most recent statistics from the New Zealand Transport Agency show that in 2018 there were five fatalities involving motorcyclists in the Wellington region and 38 serious injury crashes.

Wellington District Road Policing Prevention Co-ordinator Danial Bremner says the safety of motorcyclists is a high priority for all road safety partners in the Wellington region, as it is nationally.

“Motorcycle riding requires high levels of concentration and care so we encourage all riders to take regular stops along the way and have plenty of rest before they set off,” he adds.

ACC Motorcycles Programme Manager Dave Keilty says: “Events like the Burt Monro challenge are as much about the journey as the destination, and we want people to enjoy themselves and return home safely.”

The ferry drops will happen before some sailings at the Interislander and Bluebridge ferry terminals in the week before the Burt Munro event (taking place in Southland, 6–10 February).

ENDS

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