Environment Bay of Plenty’s rules (for the whole Bay of Plenty):

• No vehicle use at all (without a consent) in the Coastal Habitat Preservation Zone (CHPZ) in the coastal marine areas.  This is all zones coloured pink with horizontal stripes – see the planning maps.
• Vehicles can drive on the foreshore (area below spring high tide – the “wet”, firm sand part) for these activities:
  • Surf life saving operations.
  • Emergency situations, including (but not restricted to) fire fighting, oil spills, rescue operations, salvage of vessels and sea mammal strandings.
  • Burial of dead animals washed up on the foreshore.
  • The removal of litter, nuisance matter, or driftwood and debris which may affect navigation and safety of vessels.
  • The launching or retrieval of vessels.
  • The transportation of recreational equipment to the waters edge.
  • Coastcare projects.
  • Beach grooming undertaken by either a district council or its agents.
  • New Zealand Defence Force temporary military training activities, provided that Environment Bay of Plenty, the Department of Conservation and adjacent territorial authorities have been advised before the training takes place.
  • Local authority, Government, and educational institution data collection, monitoring, maintenance and law enforcement activities, provided the vehicles do not exceed 1.8 tonnes kerb weight.
• Otherwise vehicle users need a consent from Environment Bay of Plenty.

Tauranga City Council’s rules (for beaches from Wairoa River outlet to the Kaituna River cut):

• Motorcycles and other vehicles on the beach/dunes require a permit from the City Council, except:
  • Vehicles used to launch and retrieve a boat or other craft from the water.
  • Police, Fire and Ambulance vehicles and Tauranga City Council vehicles.

Western Bay of Plenty District Council’s rules (from Te Puru creek north of Waihi Beach to Otamarakau, minus the Tauranga City Council area):

• No vehicles on beaches/dunes identified by official signs.
• Where vehicles are permitted, the speed limit is 15 km/h.
• The above restrictions don’t apply to:
  • Law enforcement officers.
  • Surf patrol.
  • Fire, rescue or emergency services personnel or any Council officer when on duty.
• People must drive their vehicle with due care, attention, and reasonable consideration for others.
• If launching a boat/craft into the water, the vehicle shall move across the beach/foreshore by the shortest possible practical route.
• No driving a vehicle in a manner that damages the beach reserve area.

Whakatane District Council’s rules (from Otamarakau to Ohope Spit):

• All vehicles on beaches need approval from the District Council, except:
  • Vehicles launching or retrieving a vessel into the water or removing driftwood, debris or litter.  The vehicle must move across the beach using the shortest practicable route.
  • Surf lifesaving club members (authorised by Council) doing their duty.
• Speed limit along the beach is 15 km/h, excluding surf lifesaving or another speed and use approved by the District Council.

Opotiki District Council (Ohiwa to Cape Runaway) do not yet have rules controlling vehicles on beaches.

The rules that apply to vehicles on the road (obey the speed limits, no drink driving, etc.) also apply to vehicle use on the beach.  The police can enforce these rules on the beach the same as on a legal road.

Environment Bay of Plenty, the territorial authorities and the Department of Conservation are working together on a set of methods and rules for vehicles on beaches that are consistent across the Bay of Plenty.  This is difficult, because vehicles in the coastal environment cross a number of management boundaries: high-tide/low-tide marks, foreshore/dunes, regional/district jurisdiction, social effects/environmental effects, Resource Management Act/Local Government Act/other Acts. 

But regardless of the final regulation and management systems that are used, the intent is to have rules that are practical, consistent across the region, and easy to understand.

The Resource Management Act requires local authorities to recognise and provide for, as matters of national importance:

• Preserving the natural character of the coastal environment.
• Protecting areas of significant native vegetation and native animals.
• Maintaining and enhancing public access to and along the coastal marine area.

So while there is a general principle that vehicles are not compatible with the sensitive coastal environment, this must be balanced with public access to the beach and ocean.

Therefore the focus of rules controlling vehicles on beaches in the future may be:

• No vehicles on coastal dunes.
• No vehicles in areas with regionally important populations of rare native species (like harbour edges and some sandy spits.
• Where there is pedestrian access to the beach (e.g. Waihi Beach, Ohope, Mt Maunganui), vehicles only use official accessways to transport boats or other craft on and off the beach.  This is to minimise conflict between vehicles and beach users.
• Where there is limited access to the coast, and there are few other beach users (e.g. Matata Straights), vehicles may drive along the foreshore (the area between low tide and the spring tide mark) to their destination, using the shortest possible route from the nearest official accessway to their destination.  The spring tide mark is around the line of heavy debris and branches thrown up by storms, close to the toe of the foredune.
• There should be some exceptions for emergency services, council officers, and other vehicle use for public benefit.
• Any vehicle use on beaches outside of the above points may need approval from the district council or Environment Bay of Plenty.

Across the Bay of Plenty beaches there are lots of vehicle access routes to the beach.  Some are official access points, with signs, sand ladders and fences protecting the dunes.  But many others are unofficial, carved up by vehicles driving up and down the beach.  The four territorial authorities are improving the official accessways, and trying to close off the unofficial accessways to limit further environmental damage.  Some unofficial accessways may be suitable for converting into official accessways, with signs and facilities like carparking and toilets to encourage their use. 

Environment Bay of Plenty and the territorial authorities will map the official accessways and signpost them across the region, so vehicle drivers can easily find out the best routes to get to their favourite fishing spot, or other coastal activity.

At the moment, Environment Bay of Plenty can issue fines to people breaking the regional foreshore rule.  The four coastal territorial authorities can forward people to the district court for a fine for breaching their rules.  The police have a wide range of powers, like instant fines, court action and arrest for people acting dangerously or illegally.

Environment Bay of Plenty and the territorial authorities are requesting greater powers from central government to issue instant fines to vehicle owners for rule breaking.  These would help encourage the uncaring minority of vehicle drivers on the beach to drive within the rules – to reduce hazard and safety risks and to protect the coastal environment.