With more than 24,000 visitors expected to the city this week, Tauranga City Council and the AIMS organising committee have been preparing for the biggest Zespri AIMS Games yet, September 7-13.

There will be a lot of people travelling to the main sports venues during the week, particularly in Mount Maunganui and Pāpāmoa, so everyone driving is advised to plan ahead.

Athletes encouraged to use public transport

To help athletes and supporters get to their games, a dedicated free bus service will run on a loop between Mount Hot Pools and Gordon Spratt Reserve, courtesy of Bay of Plenty Regional Council and Tauranga City Council.

The specially branded Zespri AIMS Games buses will stop every 30 minutes at the main venues, and they are also available for members of the public to travel on.

Buses also helped transport athletes to the two sold-out opening ceremonies on Sunday September 8; these buses have proven extremely popular and were fully subscribed by Thursday morning.

This year, bus travel has been ‘gamified’ as part of Zespri AIMS Games Gives Back to encourage sustainable travel to the venues and reduce the impacts on the roading network.

Every athlete who participates in nominated sustainability-focused activities, including taking the Zespri AIMS Games buses, will earn points for their school to win the Kaitiaki trophy.

Roadworks scaled down during the Zespri AIMS Games

To help reduce traffic delays during AIMS week, most city road works will be scaled right down, particularly along main routes to the sports venues. Emergency works will be undertaken as needed.

Parking safety a priority during Zespri AIMS Games

Even with many athletes using the Zespri AIMS Games bus service, parking will be in high demand around the sports venues.

Safety will be the main focus of the council’s parking team during the Zespri AIMS Games, especially when it comes to preventing people from parking dangerously on traffic islands or on footpaths and grass areas where lots of children and adults are moving around.

As part of their communication to the different sports codes, the AIMS team has sent out code-specific newsletters and advisories, including detailed information about where and where not to park at each venue.

Everyone on the Zespri AIMS Games newsletter database has been advised to check the parking signs and conditions wherever they are during the Games, and it has been made clear that monitoring and enforcement will be in place.