Road Safety Trust changes will free up funding

Transport Minister Steven Joyce has today confirmed the appointment of NZ Transport Agency Chief Executive Geoff Dangerfield as interim Chair and Trustee of the Road Safety Trust.

The Road Safety Trust is a Crown-established charitable trust that funds community-based road safety initiatives, research, education, and other projects beneficial to road safety. The Trust sets its priorities in line with the government's Safer Journeys road safety strategy.

Mr Dangerfield has been appointed for the period 15 August 2011 to 30 April 2012. He replaces Yvonne Sharp, whose term as Chair expired on 30 November 2010 but who agreed to remain in the position until a new person was appointed. Mr Dangerfield is Chief Executive of the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA).

Mr Joyce also announced the government will be seeking that the Road Safety Trust adopt a more complementary role to NZTA in the road safety area, to ensure good quality non-government road safety initiatives have the opportunity for funding assistance.

“I have written to the Trust asking them to focus on co-funding community initiatives that have the opportunity to improve road safety results.

“There are a number of excellent non-government organisations that are active in the road safety area but that are not eligible for funding through the NZTA. By focussing on this area, the Road Safety Trust will be able to add more value to the road safety effort, while leaving NZTA to focus on its advertising and promotional programmes in partnership with local government.”

Mr Joyce thanked outgoing Chair Yvonne Sharp for her service to the Road Safety Trust and wished her well for her future endeavours.