Cyclists Encouraged to Lighten Up

Throughout May, Council staff and police will be out talking with cyclists as part of our annual safety campaign. Cyclists who are not visible enough will be stopped and given temporary lights and vouchers for reflective gear and lights to be used at a selection of Wellington shops.

The Council's Transport Safety Education Coordinator Anna Blomquist says not to panic if you're stopped at the Police checks.

"All we're doing is encouraging cyclists to be brighter and therefore safer. The more likely you are to be seen the less likely you are to be hit."

"Meanwhile, we hope regular cyclists - especially commuters - have already checked their lights are working and are wearing reflective gear. At this time of year it's already dark by the time a lot of people leave work."

Anna says Council staff and police use the road code to guide cyclists. "This means cycling with lights on when it's dark, making sure your front and rear lights can be seen from a hundred metres away and either using yellow pedal reflectors or wearing reflective clothing."

The road code can be found at the NZ Transport Agency site:

Road Code - NZ Transport Agency website

From Wellington City Council

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