Free lights offered to improve road safety in Whanganui

Whanganui District Council hopes the success of Light Up Bike Spectacle will transfer to the Be Bright, Be Seen campaign. Photo/ Lewis Gardner

Five hundred sets of lights will be handed out to Whanganui cyclists, runners and walkers as part of a Be Bright, Be Seen campaign.

The campaign, which was launched this month, aims to ensure those out and active during the winter mornings and evenings are more visible to other road users.

Be Bright, Be seen is a partnership between Whanganui District Council, Horizons Regional Council, Whanganui Police, Let's Go and bike groups.

"We hope to educate not only cyclists on the road, but pedestrians and runners using shared pathways and footpaths," Council Active Transport Facilitator Norman Gruebsch said.

It comes just a month after the Council's inaugural Light Up Bike Spectacle where 500 people donned lights and glow sticks for a night parade along the shared pathways.

"We're pleased with the Light Up Bike Spectacle's community support and we hope that's repeated for this campaign," Gruebsch said.

Sergeant Craig Yorston said police were proud to be working with other agencies to improve the safety on roads and shared cycle/walkways.

"This partnership initiative is an opportunity to prevent harm because, ultimately, New Zealand Police want everyone to be safe and feel safe," he said.

Gruebsch said Green Bikes, the Whanganui Bike Users Group and Whanganui bike shops were also backing the Be Bright, Be Seen message, which fit well with the Government's proposed Vision Zero road safety strategy.

Horizons road safety co-ordinator Glenda Leitao said Whanganui had a cycling community which cycled to work, school and for both pleasure and exercise.

The free LED clip-on light sets can be collected at Whanganui District Council, 101 Guyton Street; Whanganui Central Police Station on Bell Street, Horizons Regional Council, 181 Guyton Street or at Green Bikes at the Whanganui Resource Recovery Centre.