ARTA Media Release
19 June 2008

Speed management, drink drive enforcement and pedestrian and intersection safety focus of Regional Road Safety Plan

The Auckland Regional Transport Authority (ARTA) and RoadSafe Auckland released the Draft Auckland Regional Road Safety Plan 2008-2012 for consultation this week.

ARTA's General Manager, Strategy and Planning, Peter Clark says, "Road crashes are a leading cause of death in the Auckland region. They account for approximately 10% of all hospitalisations, and cost the Auckland region an estimated $990 million per year in medical costs and lost productivity.

“The two leading causes of death on Auckland’s roads continue to be speed-related and alcohol-related crashes. Significant proportions of people are also killed or injured as pedestrians, and many intersections also have a high injury rate. Bends and roadside objects are contributing factors in a high proportion of crashes. Yet this road trauma is largely predictable and preventable through a combination of proven and readily available engineering, enforcement and education interventions. While an estimated $124 million is spent each year to reduce road trauma in the Auckland region, more investment is needed to achieve the regional road safety target.

“Safety is a priority for ARTA, and we’re committed to creating a transport system that enables safe, healthy and sustainable transport choices so that people can access employment, education, health, commercial and recreational opportunities. The proposed Auckland Regional Road Safety Plan 2008-2012 will have a significant influence on road safety activities by influencing funding decisions and focusing the efforts of a range of road safety agencies, local government and community groups to achieve a lower road toll.”

The Auckland Regional Council's Chair of Transport and Urban Development and the Regional Land Transport Committee, Christine Rose, adds that this draft plan addresses the needs for safety in travel and transport corridors, which are, after all, shared public space used by us all. "It's a place where a huge mix of people and vehicles occur with massive potential for conflict. Given our high transport-related death and injury rates we need to keep the people on the streets and their safety in focus.”

The Draft Auckland Regional Road Safety Plan 2008-2012 sets out a series of goals for improving Auckland’s road safety.

These goals will be achieved through a combination of enhanced safety management and engineering, and further development of a safety culture that focuses on:
• Effective speed management and other initiatives that support a growing community acceptance of speed limits.
• Well targeted drink drive enforcement, integrated driver rehabilitation and visible host responsibility.
• Improved pedestrian safety.
• Improved intersection safety.
• Initiatives tailored to the needs of at-risk and vulnerable road users.
• Integrated passenger transport safety.

“We are interested in your feedback on the proposals outlined in the Draft Auckland Regional Road Safety Plan, as road safety is a shared responsibility between communities, families and individuals, government agencies, local government and many other organisations. Feedback on this consultation draft will inform the final Auckland Regional Road Safety Plan 2008-2012, which will be released later in 2008,” says Mr Clark.

-ends-

© Scoop Media