Haumarutanga rori - pakeke

Road safety - adults

The Travel Safe team work in the community to reduce accidents and improve road safety.

Young Driver Workshop

Free young driver workshops are aimed at road users aged between 16 and 24, who hold a current learner or restricted driver licence. Participants will leave with improved knowledge, confidence, and skills.

Each workshop includes:

A 60-minute one-on-one driving lesson with a certified instructor
Waka Kotahi NZTA roadworthy vehicle check (what to check to ensure your vehicle is safe and roadworthy)
Driver behaviour awareness (speed, impairment, restraints, distraction, and fatigue
Awareness session on sharing the road with heavy vehicles

Parents/caregivers are strongly encouraged to attend but it’s not compulsory. The four-hour workshops are held during school term holidays, usually between 9am and 1pm.

Drive has everything you need to prepare for your learner, restricted and full licence tests.

Visit the Drive website

Young driver workshop

Car Restraints

Looking for support around car seat restraints? Contact one of our local car seat technicians at travelsafeschools@tauranga.govt.nz. We offer free car seat installations, checks, and will help answer any questions or concerns regarding your car restraint.

Carseat installation

Parking behaviour

Drop off and pick up are busy times that pose a safety risk at the school gate. Travel Safe help schools to communicate things like parking time limits, drop off and pick up zones, parking over the kerb and other safety risks at the school gate. We deliver an in-school parking and safety programme named Peaceful Parker, and partner with council parking officers to do school visits when requested by schools or the community.

Blindzone Workshops

Blindzone workshops allow people to see the world from a truck driver’s point of view. Through a series of practical scenarios, participants will learn where to place themselves so they are visible to truck drivers and will leave with more awareness and confidence on the road.

For more on Blindzone and cycling around heavy vehicles visit Share the Road.

Blindzone workshop

Be Bright, Be Safe, Be Seen

This winter visibility programme reminds cyclists, walkers, runners, and scooter riders to have lights, bright clothing, and reflective gear if they are out and about during early mornings, evenings, and at other times of low light and poor visibility.

Whether commuting to work or school, being active for fun or fitness, or popping down to the local shops, people should take extra care and keep safe by being fully visible on roads and paths.

All cyclists are encouraged to wear high-visibility clothing and ensure their front light, rear light and rear red reflector are all working correctly and are clean.

View the official New Zealand code for cycling for more information.

Set for summer, the Northern Waterfront Reserve opens for the community

Tauranga Moana has a vibrant new green space for the community to enjoy. The Northern Waterfront Reserve, nestled in the heart of the city centre, opened today - right in time for summer.

The new reserve area includes a lush green space for events and community relaxation, shared pathway, half basketball court (which is due to open mid-November), and refurbished living seawall featuring innovative sea pods.

The Northern Waterfront Reserve is part of Tauranga City Council’s ongoing city centre transformation, which has already seen the successful openings of Masonic Park in September, the Southern Waterfront boardwalk, and the railway underpass last month.

Complementing these developments, the waterfront playground is set to open in December, just in time for summertime fun, and is conveniently located adjacent to the Northern Waterfront Reserve, and the popular tidal stairs and pier with bombing platform.

Tauranga City Council project manager, Vijesh Ravindran, expressed enthusiasm for the new space.

“It’s great to have a new green space in the city centre, right alongside the harbour. It offers plenty of space for future events and our community can easily access the shared pathway, half basketball court, and new living seawall.”

Tauranga City Council’s City Development and Partnership General Manager, Gareth Wallis, echoed this excitement.

“Much like the recently opened Masonic Park and Southern Waterfront boardwalk with the railway underpass, it’s wonderful to see members of our community already enjoying the Northern Waterfront Reserve. Seeing people walking, jogging, and cycling along the new shared pathway and relaxing in the green space is fantastic and exactly what these spaces were intended for.”

“With the waterfront playground opening next month, this space in the city centre is going to be awesome, and I can't wait to see our community exploring the entire area.”

The Northern Waterfront Reserve not only enhances the recreational offerings of the city centre but also supports the community's health and wellbeing, says Gareth.

“Its innovative features, such as the living seawall with sea pods, will help protect the waterfront while providing an inviting environment for all.”

Council would like to acknowledge the significant contribution made by the Port of Tauranga towards the cost of the living seawall pods. Partnerships like this are key to realising our aspirations for our city.

“The living seawall is testament to our shared commitment to preserving and enhancing the natural beauty of Tauranga Moana,” says Port of Tauranga Chief Executive Leonard Sampson.

For more information about these and all the other projects happening in the city centre, please visit: www.tauranga.govt.nz/ourfuturecitycentre