MEDIA RELEASE
17 June 2005

Auckland City supports Safer K'Rd

Auckland City's Public Safety and Community Order Committee today indicated its support for K'Rd's anti-crime initiative 'Safer K Road – OK Road’, which aims to address security, safety, social, and cleaning issues in Karangahape Road.

Discussions will get underway with a range of stakeholders, including the K'Rd Business association and NZ Police, regarding how Auckland City can best provide assistance to the project.

These discussions will be co-ordinated through the Safer Auckland City programme and will provide an integrated response to the various issues that exist in the area. Subsequent actions could include surveys, education and awareness programmes, discussions with police about their current approach, improved lighting and changes to street asset cleaning schedules.

Total vandalism repair costs in the Karangahape Road area are approximately $28,000 a year and recurring issues for K'Rd are graffiti removal, and damage to toilets and amenity lights.

Graffiti costs are particularly high because of the daily need to remove ‘fly’ postering. As part of Auckland City's streetscape upgrade stage two for K’Rd poster bollards have been installed, an initiative which aims to reduce ‘fly’ postering activity.

Auckland City does not provide security services for the business area, however the K'Rd Business Association provides a daytime security officer for the street, the service being funded from the mainstreet targeted rate.

Police coverage for the area is provided from the Downtown police station and additional coverage is available from the central station if necessary.

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