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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.nzWe 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.
 

Related news

Council confirms city centre parking changes

Council confirms city centre parking changes

Tauranga City Council has confirmed the next phase of the City Centre Parking Management Plan, aiming to improve access to short-stay parking and balance demand across the city centre and city fringe.

Council staff regularly monitor the demand for parking to ensure a balanced mix of options for residents, workers, shoppers, and visitors. Demand in the city centre and city fringe has increased significantly, and council receives ongoing feedback from residents about limited on-street parking availability. 

From Monday, 4 August 2025, paid on-street parking will be introduced around the city fringe, including Third Avenue, Fourth Avenue, Glasgow Street, Selwyn Street, McLean Street, Monmouth Street, Park Street, Cameron Road, Anson Street, and Dive Crescent. Existing paid parking will also be extended along sections of First Avenue, Second Avenue, Willow Street, and Devonport Road.  

The cost of parking in the extended area is $1 per hour for the first two hours, $2 for each additional hour, and a maximum charge of $10. Payment can be made at parking machines which will be installed in the area, or via the PayMyPark app.   

Concurrently, P120 time-limited car parking will be introduced along  some sections of Cliff Road, Brown Street, Arundel Street, Fourth Avenue, Fifth Avenue, Sixth Avenue, Seventh Avenue, Eighth Avenue, Sheath Street, and Edgecumbe Road. 

Also, from Monday, 4 August, off-street parking prices in the city centre will be adjusted to better reflect demand. This includes a lower all day rate for the Elizabeth Street parking building to attract long-stay users and free up more convenient on-street spaces for short visits. 

Te Papa Ward Councillor Rod Taylor says that pressure on city centre parking will continue to increase.  

"It’s important we take a proactive approach and act now, so that everyone in our community can get a park when they need it.

“While staff recommended introducing a resident parking permit to help ease the impact on those living in affected areas, Council ultimately voted against this option after considering a range of views.

“It may not be obvious, but there are now more carparks in the city centre than ever, including before The Strand carpark was removed. We have upgraded the Dive Crescent carpark, created additional spaces at the Spring Street building, and opened a new public parking facility at Haumaru on Cameron Road. These carparks remain free on weekends, public holidays, and after 5pm on weekdays.” 

With the upcoming changes, city centre workers are encouraged to use the parking buildings, long-term off-street carparks, public transport, or active travel like cycling and walking.

Mount Maunganui also faces parking challenges, with Council first exploring the development of a Mount Maunganui Parking Management Plan in 2023 in response to community feedback.

Following several deferrals of this work due to community concerns, Council is now revisiting the plan and is currently engaging with residents, businesses, and visitors to find out what’s working, what’s not, and what could work better - whether it’s tried and tested solutions seen elsewhere, or out-of-the-box ideas.

Community feedback for Mount Maunganui is now open at letstalk.tauranga.govt.nz/mountparking, and will close on Friday, 25 July 2025.

For more information on city centre parking changes visit tauranga.govt.nz/parking
 

Posted: Jul 15, 2025,

Related information

Staying safe on scooters. Information about staying safe on your scooter.

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