BYRON SHIRE Council’s Enforcement team is now enjoying the best the town has to offer after swapping patrol cars for bicycles.
Members of the team are now getting around the streets on new electric bikes when they are doing camping, parking and littering patrols.
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Shannon Burt, Byron Shire Council’s Director, Sustainable Environment and Economy, said it’s a new approach for the Enforcement team to help build up their presence in the local community and it’s also better for the environment.
“Our Enforcement team does an amazing job in sometimes quite difficult circumstances and the reaction they are getting when they do their patrols on the bicycles is great,” Ms Burt said.
“Not only are they available to talk to people about different things but they are carrying things like dog leads to give out to people who are walking their dogs without a leash.
“We are now more visible in the community and the face-to-face contact is improving relationships and customer service which is what we are all about,” she said.
“When staff are patrolling on the bicycles there seems to be a much better reception from the public and locals like to see us out and about talking to people about things like illegal camping and littering.
The electric bicycles, which were purchased locally, have a top speed of 27km/hour and a full charge is good for at least 120km. In the last three days each Enforcement officer has travelled more than 100km around Byron Bay.
“The bikes will be a regular sight around Byron Bay and all going well, we might roll them out in other parts of the Shire as well,” Ms Burt said.