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

Applications open for a director vacancy on the CCO Te Manawataki o Te Papa Limited Board

Applications are now open for an experienced director to join the council-controlled organisation (CCO) Te Manawataki o Te Papa Limited (TMoTPL) Board.

TMoTPL is Tauranga City Council's CCO responsible for delivering a comprehensive programme of infrastructure, civic and transport major projects across the city, supporting Tauranga's growth and enhancing community wellbeing.

The appointment will commence in November 2026 and follows the recent expansion of TMoTPL's responsibilities to include the delivery of major transport projects across Tauranga.

Tauranga Mayor Mahé Drysdale says Tauranga’s continued growth is creating new opportunities for the city, while increasing the need for strong governance and strategic leadership for Council’s CCOs.

"As Tauranga continues to grow and evolve, it is critical that we have the right governance in place to support long-term planning and delivery.

“The scale and complexity of the opportunities and challenges ahead for Te Manawataki o Te Papa require strong oversight, sound judgement, and the appropriate governance expertise around the Board table,” says Mayor Mahé.

TMoTPL’s responsibilities include the Te Manawataki o Te Papa civic precinct (with the completed upgrade to Toi Tauranga Art Gallery and the fit-out to the Council’s new civic administration building at 90 Devonport Road, and the practical completion of the new library and community hub), and the following major transport projects that are underway including Tauriko West Enabling Works, Cameron Road Stage 2, Fifteenth Avenue to Welcome Bay, and Connecting Mount Maunganui.

The TMoTPL Board provides governance and strategic oversight across this programme, ensuring the effective delivery of these major projects.

TMoTPL Chair Kim Wallace says the CCO is focused on maintaining strong governance and effective leadership to maximise long-term outcomes for the Tauranga community.

"Both the Council and the Board are seeking an experienced director with a proven background in transport infrastructure governance, strong commercial acumen, expertise in contract management, and the ability to contribute independent thinking and robust scrutiny.

"This role will shape and influence some of the city's most significant projects for many years to come," says Kim Wallace.

Applications and next steps

Applications close on Friday 21 August 2026, with shortlisting and interviews expected to take place during September 2026.

Find out more information and apply online.

View the Council's Appointment of Directors to Council Organisations Policy (369kb pdf)

Note this appointment is intended to take place from end of 2026 to June 2030. While this is not a three-year tenure as per the Council’s Appointment Policy, this longer tenure is to accommodate the Board’s succession planning and the major transport projects programme.

Posted: Aug 4, 2026,