Last week, Wellington City Council partnered with Brake NZ to celebrate Road Safety Week through organised events and activities in schools and the community to promote safer streets.
The theme was Road Safety Heroes, celebrating individuals who champion road safety daily. This year, three Wellingtonians were nominated for the Yellow Ribbon Award, recognising exceptional dedication to promoting road safety: Patrick Morgan, cycling advocate and Pedal Ready Instructor; Bobbi Hutchinson, Programme Delivery Lead for Kaitiaki o Ara/Students Against Dangerous Driving (SADD); and Gary Gibson, Port Nicholson Pōneke (PNP), Cycling Youth Coach and Pedal Ready Instructor.
We spoke with the nominees to learn more about their mahi and how they contribute to safety in the capital.
Tell us a bit about your mahi (work) and how you are contributing to safety in the capital.
Gary: As a Pedal Ready Instructor of over 10 years, I teach children to ride safely on the road following Waka Kotahi and NZ Police guidelines, building their confidence to navigate the roads correctly. I also run courses for bus drivers to understand cyclists' needs and how to drive safely around them, and help cyclists learn more about bus drivers' needs and their blind spots.
As a 20-year PNP Cycling Youth Coach, I organise regular bunch rides for kids around Wellington streets, teaching them to handle various road situations like pinch points, roundabouts, and bus lanes, while also covering the road rules. Additionally, I regularly run workshops on vehicle blind spots in collaboration with Share the Road.
Bobbi: My work as the Programme Delivery Lead for Kaitiaki o Ara/SADD is to support rangatahi in identifying road safety issues in their school or community and helping them come up with solutions to combat these issues in a fun and relevant way that connects with them. My focus for Pōneke has been to activate new school groups to jump on our kaupapa. I love being able to help develop our future leaders, and watch students realise their potential and execute a plan to create a safer Aotearoa.
Patrick: I have worked in the bike safety space for 40 years. Currently, I’m a project manager at Cycling Action Network. I spend time as a Pedal Ready cycling instructor, where I teach people of all ages to cycle with confidence and skill.
I also volunteer at Cycle Wellington, an organisation that advocates, hosts events, shares bike-related news, and influences city planning. There’s safety in numbers, and numbers in safety. We push for better street designs, transport mode choices, safe speeds, and public education. Street design is the most crucial element in ensuring safety.