Govt announces $15m road safety programme

A $15 million road safety engineering programme for the South Island’s tourist routes has been given the green light.

Associate Transport Minister Craig Foss yesterday announced the work, to take place in Otago, Southland and the West Coast over the next two summers.

It is part of a $25million road safety package aimed at visiting drivers announced by the Government late last year.

Mr Foss said the programme would benefit all road users.

It included signage and marking improvements, barriers, intersection treatments, hazard removal, shoulder widening and sealing, he said.

"We want all visiting drivers to experience New Zealand as a safe, attractive and accessible place."

The work is part of the Visiting Drivers Project, which is a partnership between central and local government and the private sector which began in 2014.

Its most recent initiatives were 154 new curve signs on State Highway 6  between Lumberbox Creek and Kingston, 26  curve signs on  SH94 in Southland and a safety barrier at Rocky Point near Mossburn.

Signs at 22 rest areas in Otago and Southland have been upgraded to give drivers more warning of their approach.

The Government and its project partners would continue to build on those initiatives to "further reduce harm on our roads", Mr Foss said.

New Zealand Transport Agency Southern media manager Frances Adank said the exact locations and timing of the work were yet to be finalised.