Police Update On New Traffic Light Settings
Police Commissioner Andrew Coster
New traffic light
settings
Police encourage people to familiarise
themselves with the new traffic light
settings
which come into effect tomorrow and ensure they abide by
the
requirements and restrictions. Information can
be found on the official Unite
Against COVID-19
website here [1].
The vast majority of New Zealanders
have been outstanding in their response
to
restrictions under the Alert Level system, and Police want
to thank all
members of the public who supported
our staff particularly in the Tāmaki
Makaurau
region.
From experience, we know there is always a period
of adjustment when changes
are made to settings and
we expect this to be the same with the move to
the
new COVID-19 Protection Framework.
Police
will focus on helping people understand what the changes
mean through
its education and engagement
approach.
More broadly, Police will be supporting other
agencies who are working with
businesses and the
community as the new system comes into effect.
Police
also extend huge thanks to our communities in Auckland who
bore the
brunt of restrictions during the past few
months.
New Zealanders have done a great job to get
vaccinated, and to abide by the
rules so we can
move into this new traffic light environment. However,
the
pandemic is not over and patience and
understanding what we need all to do to
keep each
other and our families safe will be a big part of achieving
a safe
holiday season and beyond.
Checkpoints
and Boundaries
As mandated under the current Public
Health Order, Police checkpoints will
continue to
operate at the Auckland southern and northern boundaries
with the
current requirements for people travelling
through them, until 15 December.
I want to acknowledge
our Police staff who have worked tirelessly on
these
checkpoints, in all weather, and thank them
for their efforts.
Under the new traffic light settings,
Police will continue to conduct traffic
and road
stops in regions where travel is restricted.
In
Northland, Police are working closely with Iwi around our
plans to ensure
we welcome visitors after 15
December in a way that will help protect
vulnerable
communities.
With the support of Iwi, Police will set up
and manage checkpoints to confirm
that those
travelling from Auckland meet the requirements.
Police
will be very mindful of traffic flows, but the public can
expect they
may be stopped and spoken to by Police
to ensure they are abiding by the
requirements of
the Public Health Order.
This means travellers into the
region will need to show proof of
vaccination
status or a negative COVID-19 test. The
rules around this are on the Unite
Against COVID-19
website for travel at the Red and Orange settings.
Police
will have a low tolerance for people
attempting to travel north without
meeting the
requirements.
Please continue to stay the course and
follow the rules – the community’s
collective
efforts are making a difference. I ask everyone does their
best as
we all adjust to the new system. Police
will also be working through the new
rules and
thank the public for their patience as we do so.
[1]
https://covid19.govt.nz/traffic-lights/
[2]
https://www.police.govt.nz/news/nz-police-app
[3]
https://www.police.govt.nz/news/release/police-update-new-traffic-light-settings
[4]
https://www.police.govt.nz/subscribe/unsubscribe/