RESIGNING: Dennis Robertson has quit as southern manager of transport relationships for the New Zealand Transport Agency.

One of the South Island's top transport officials and anti-drink-driving campaigners has quit his job after a drink-drive conviction in Christchurch.

Dennis Frank Robertson was convicted on July 23 in the Christchurch District Court. He was fined and disqualified from driving.

Robertson's conviction follows police college instructor Detective Sergeant John Gualter being caught weaving across three lanes of State Highway 1 near Wellington in November last year at 2½ times the legal limit. He has yet to be sentenced, but has asked for a discharge without conviction.

Robertson's alcohol level when caught is not known, and he would not comment yesterday.

Robertson was until last month southern manager of transport relationships for the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA), which was established in August last year to combine Land Transport New Zealand and Transit New Zealand.

NZTA spokesman Andy Knackstedt yesterday confirmed Robertson had resigned.

"We are not in a position to make any further comment on this matter," he said.

Drink-driving was regarded as a serious breach of the NZTA's code of conduct for its employees, contractors and consultants, he said.

In 2003, Robertson told The Press the answer to reducing alcohol on the roads was simple New Zealanders had to change their attitude.

"That is what challenging the New Zealand psyche is all about. The solution is in our heads and we have got to get over the fact that we think it's someone else's problem," he said.

In 1998, he said the over-30s appeared to be hopeless when it came to the message against drink-driving.

"Their attitude to drink-driving is quite negative and they indicate they will be the hardest group to change if we want to get the drink-drive-related toll down," he said.

Robertson is chairman of the New Zealand Roadshow Trust, which promotes road safety with programmes in schools.

Robertson joined the Land Transport Safety Authority (LTSA) in 1996 as regional manager. Before that he held positions in the health sector, firstly as a clinical psychologist and then in management roles in the 1980s and early 1990s.