Road safety projects rolled out

Published on 14 November 2023

Thanks to funding provided by Transport for NSW, three road safety projects are being rolled out across the Byron Shire ahead of the festive season, when the area will see an increase in pedestrians and vehicle movements.

Council is working in conjunction with local Police and Transport for NSW to increase community awareness of road safety by:

“Council will be focusing on these road safety projects over the next few months as we come into summer, and there are more people visiting our Shire,” said Shelley Flower Council’s Road Safety Officer. 

These projects are funded by Transport for NSW under the Local Government Road Safety Program. More information on each of these projects can be found below. 

Vehicle Activated Speed (VAS) Signs

Vehicle Activated Speed (VAS) Signs that flash as vehicles drive past them and remind people to follow the speed limit will be installed in areas where speeding is a concern, to reduce speeding in the shire and improve speed limit compliance of Byron Shire motorists. 

“Speeding is one of the key factors in most road incidents. In Byron Shire 30% of all crashes involve speeding,” said Shelley Flower, Council’s Road Safety Officer. 

“The first signs have been installed in areas known for speeding; Tincogan Street in Mullumbimby, Paterson Street in Byron Bay, and New Brighton Road in South Golden Beach and they will be moved to other locations every few months.

“We will also place the signs on other roads which have been identified by the NSW Police or the community as areas of concern.  This includes Bangalow Road in Bangalow, Federal Drive in Federal and Broken Head Road in Suffolk Park.

“If people have suggestions for other locations, where they would like to see a VAS sign installed, they can Report It to Council,” Ms Flower said. 

Footpath Stickers

Decals with Look Out Before You Step Out (LOBYSO) messaging will be placed in high pedestrian areas to remind people to look both ways, cross with care, and be aware of vehicles before crossing the street.

“We find that people assume they’re safe if they’re using a crossing. People can become complacent, so the stickers are there to remind the community that they’re crossing a road where motor vehicles are present,“ said Shelley Flower Council’s Road Safety Officer.

“Since 2012 Byron Shire has had 80 pedestrian related crashes (resulting in 95 casualties, including two fatalities) or an average of seven incidents per year according to Transport for NSW Crash Data. 

“Stickers will first be placed at zebra crossings in Byron Bay, Mullumbimby, and Bangalow, as these towns have had the highest number of crashes involving pedestrians. 

“If people have suggestions for other locations, where they would like to see a footpath sticker installed or want to make suggestions for improvements on general pedestrian safety, they can Report It to Council. This will help us make decisions regarding future pedestrian safety projects/improvements also,” Ms Flower said.

Win A Swag competition

The Win a Swag competition will remind people not to drink drive and have a plan b if they decide to drink alcohol when they are out. The competition will highlight the importance of planning alternate transportation/accommodation when out drinking.

“NSW Police infringement data shows that Tweed/Byron has the highest incidence of alcohol related crashes and RBT infringements from Newcastle to the Queensland border, and Byron Bay is the number one township in this region,“ said Shelley Flower Council’s Road Safety Officer.

“We want to reduce the number of people drink driving and are encouraging people to share their plan to get home safely. As an extra incentive they can go into the draw to win a swag. 

“This competition will kick off early next year in local venues. People can keep an eye on our project page for a list of venues and more information on how to enter. Interested venues can also contact Council if they would like to participate,” she said. 

To note:

Data and statistics mentioned in this media release are from the Transport for NSW (TfNSW) Safe System Analytics portal. This is data from NSW Police and NSW Hospitals which has been combined and verified by TfNSW.

The public can get in touch with Council with their suggestions for places to put VAS signs or stickers by using Report It and selecting Roads, Signs, Foothpaths.

Venues that are interested in participating in the Win A Swag competition can email Council at [email protected]