Haumarutanga rori - pakeke

Road safety - adults

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

Be Bright, Be Safe, Be Seen

Pick up a free reflective backpack cover this June

To help you stay visible on the roads this winter, free reflective backpack covers are now available from Tauranga City Council libraries – while stocks last.

These covers are a simple way to increase visibility on darker winter mornings and afternoons, especially for children travelling to and from school.

As the days get shorter and darker, it’s more important than ever to stay visible on our roads. Whether you’re walking, biking or scootering, being seen can make all the difference in keeping you safe.

Simple steps can help reduce the risk of crashes and ensure drivers can see you sooner.

How to stay visible:

Wear bright or reflective clothing
Use lights on bikes and scooters
Stay alert and aware around traffic

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

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

Oropi Road slip repairs begin these school holidays

Work to repair a slip below Ōropi Road will begin from Monday, 6 July. Road users are urged to plan ahead and expect delays while construction is underway.

The project will stabilise the road shoulder between the SH29A roundabout and Maleme Street, preventing further deterioration and protecting a critical transport route. This will involve building a 60m long, 6m high rock wall, down to the Waiorohi Stream, to secure the bank.

Oropi Road slip image

The work has been carefully staged to help minimise disruption. This includes scheduling the most disruptive phase during the school holidays (6–19 July) to reduce impact to peak commuter and school traffic.

The city-bound lane (north) will remain open at all times, and construction will be staged across multiple phases to maintain access where possible.

Traffic management and what to expect

Traffic management will be in place throughout the project, with the most significant lane closure during the first two weeks:

Monday 6 – Sunday 19 July (school holidays):
- Ōropi-bound (south) lane closed 24/7 between Maleme Street and SH29A
- Detour for Ōropi-bound traffic via Chadwick Road and Cameron Road
- Temporary traffic lights in place and 30km/h speed restrictions through the work site
- Maleme Street and Ōropi Road north of the closure remain open in both direction.
Monday 20 July through August:
- Both lanes open with reduced speed limits in place
Late August/September:
- Night-time Ōropi-bound (south) lane closures for final road works

Delays are expected on Ōropi Road and surrounding routes, including along SH29A.

Learnings from earlier closure

During site investigations in late April, a full road closure for one day caused widespread disruption across the network, with congestion stretching from Baypark to Tauriko.

While this next phase uses a lane closure rather than a full closure, pressure on the network is expected. Drivers travelling along SH29A are strongly encouraged to check live traffic maps before heading out, allow extra time and use alternative routes where possible, including Hewletts Road, Turret Road, or SH29 Takitimu Drive.

Thank you for your patience and understanding as we carry out these essential works and make the road secure again.

More information: www.tauranga.govt.nz/OropiSlip

Oropi Road slip repair map