Most deaths and serious injuries on NZ’s rural state highways are caused by head-on collisions or drivers running off the road and hitting trees, poles or deep ditches.

The Safe Roads Alliance was established by the New Zealand government in 2015 to reduce the number of deaths and serious injuries on high risk rural state highways.

Bringing together the NZ Transport Agency with other parties, including Beca, the Alliance delivered a programme of safety improvements across the country.

As locals know their local roads best, the Safe Roads Alliance worked closely with communities and stakeholders to find solutions that best fit with how they use the road day-to-day, every day. The Alliance's philosophy; it's 'their road, not ours'.

The safety improvements made rural roads more forgiving of human error and reduced the chance of people dying or being seriously injured if they crash. Mistakes will sadly still happen, but the goal was that if these roads and roadsides could be made safer, more people might survive those crashes.

Safe Roads Alliance improvements included roadside safety barriers, wide centrelines, improved road signs and markings, rumble strips, wider road shoulders, intersection upgrades, better signage and safe and appropriate speed limits.

The Alliance proved its ability to deliver complex programmes and partnered with the Transport Agency to support and guide long-term planning. Together, we helped ensure New Zealand's road safety efforts make an impact, and keep our road users as safe as possible.

3300km

Of safer roads

$600m

Budget to upgrade highways

24

Projects planned

Our team says

We are pleased to be part of the Safe Roads Alliance. Together with our alliance partners NZ Transport Agency, BBO and NCC, we have the opportunity to support transformational change in the safety treatment of the NZ Transport Agency’s rural highway network.

Peter Burgess

Delivery Lead, Safe Roads Alliance, and Senior Project Director, Beca

Our client says

The Alliance is making a real difference in reducing the number of deaths and serious injuries on many of the country’s rural state highways. Our philosophy is mistakes will still happen, but if our roads and roadsides can be made safer, more of us might survive those crashes.

Tony Fisher

Safe Roads Alliance Director and Senior Manager, Programme Management, NZ Transport Agency

Our People

Brent Meekan

Business Director - Civil Infrastructure

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Darryl-Lee Wendelborn

Managing Director - New Zealand

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Lloyd De Beer

Principal - Civil Engineering

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