Posted: 12 January 2007
Summer beach driving behaviour under scrutiny
Public concern about risky and environmentally harmful driving on Northland beaches has prompted plans for a joint summer crackdown by local authorities, police and the Department of Conservation.
Irresponsible and sometimes dangerous behaviour by a small, hard-core of motorists has encouraged officials to join forces to plan several education/enforcement days over the next few weeks.
Bruce Howse, from the Northland Regional Council, says people who responsibly use four-wheel drives, motorbikes and other vehicles to reach favourite fishing and picnicking spots will have nothing to worry about and are not the target of the campaign.
“The primary focus will be those who travel at reckless speeds close to other beach users or whose behaviour is affecting wildlife or damaging fragile dunes and vegetation. Examples of dangerous behaviour in previous summers have included motorcyclists jumping over dunes and narrowly missing unsuspecting sunbathers on the other side.”
Mr Howse, the Regional Council’s Coastal Monitoring Team Leader, says no one organisation is solely responsible for monitoring driver behaviour on the region’s beaches. Rather, the Northland Regional Council, the region’s three District Councils, the police and the Department of Conservation all play some role.
The police are responsible for dealing with dangerous drivers, those under the influence of drink/drugs or driving unwarranted/unregistered vehicles.
The Department of Conservation becomes involved when vehicles are endangering marine life, disturbing birds or destroying archaeological sites.
Northland Regional Council also has some responsibilities relating to unsafe drivers as well as vehicles destroying vegetation or damaging sand dunes.
Mr Howse says District Councils are responsible for the management and use of vehicle access routes to beaches within their respective Districts and on their reserves. District Councils can also become involved if rubbish is dumped by motorists or there are complaints about noise.
Those who run afoul of authorities during the enforcement days will face a number of penalties ranging from warnings and fines to arrest and court appearances.
Mr Howse says the campaign is a direct result of public concern about the use of the region’s beaches. So far this summer the Regional Council alone had received about a dozen complaints over vehicles on beaches, including a petition calling for action from concerned Kaipara residents.