Technical Adviser — Blair Withers
Technical Adviser Safety Management System record for Mercury Travel Ltd. Primary Technical Adviser: Mark Abraham. Additional Technical Adviser: Blair Withers (Withers Coachlines).
Mercury Travel Ltd · 18 December 2025
1. Professional credentials & experience — Mark Abraham (Primary)
| Credential / experience | Details |
|---|---|
| Ownership & operation | Founder and Managing Director of Mercury Travel Ltd (2004–2025) — over 21 years operating a wholesale inbound tour company throughout New Zealand. |
| Practical experience | Personally conducted and coordinated thousands of commercial passenger tours across all weather and road conditions in both the North and South Islands. Directly responsible for itinerary design, route risk assessments, contractor selection and incident investigations. |
| Industry involvement | 21+ years in the tourism industry; extensive knowledge of low-risk guided walks, DOC sites and coach-based touring. Regular personal inspections of all walking tracks used by Mercury Travel. |
2. Professional credentials & experience — Blair Withers (Additional)
| Credential / experience | Details |
|---|---|
| Ownership & operation | Owner and operator of Withers Coachlines — a leading passenger transport company providing coach services throughout New Zealand. |
| Industry memberships & compliance | Active member of the Bus and Coach Association New Zealand and Tourism Industry Aotearoa (TIA), and Qualmark-accredited. Successfully completed multiple Qualmark and safety audits for passenger transport operations. |
| Practical experience | Decades of experience in safe passenger transportation, driver training, vehicle maintenance, route planning and real-time incident/weather response. Regularly involved in planning and executing safe coach transfers for inbound tour groups. |
Blair Withers' expertise in passenger transport safety and compliance complements Mercury Travel's operations, particularly in coach-based transfers and itinerary adjustments.
3. Roles & responsibilities as Technical Advisers
| Activity | Mark Abraham (Primary) | Blair Withers (Additional) |
|---|---|---|
| Hazard & risk identification | Leads identification of tour hazards, personally inspects all walking tracks at least annually, maintains the Hazard Register. | Provides expert input on transport-related hazards (roads, weather, vehicle suitability) and real-time natural hazard risks affecting coach routes. |
| Risk assessment & control selection | Chairs the Risk Review Panel, applies bow-tie methodology, approves controls for all activities. | Advises on transport risk controls, driver fatigue management and contingency routing. |
| Training & competency | Designs and delivers induction and refresher training for staff and contractors. | Contributes to driver competency standards and transport safety training. |
| Incident investigation | Lead investigator for incidents, using ICAM methodology. | Provides technical advice on transport-related incidents and vehicle safety. |
| Monitoring & auditing | Oversees ongoing monitoring, prepares quarterly SMS reports, coordinates external audits. | Supports audits of transport providers, reviews vehicle maintenance and driver logs. |
| Continuous improvement | Presents improvement actions to the leadership team. | Recommends enhancements to transport scheduling, weather response and itinerary flexibility. |
Both advisers ensure alignment with SMSR 2023, the Adventure Activities Regulations, and relevant Good Practice Guides (including Managing Risks from Natural Hazards).
4. Independence & objectivity statement
While Mark Abraham is the owner/operator, his extensive experience and documented processes — peer-reviewed by the SMS Review Group and externally audited — provide the required competence and objectivity. Blair Withers, as an independent transport operator, brings additional external perspective and specialised expertise in passenger safety.
All critical safety decisions are documented, reviewed by the SMS Review Group, and subject to external audit every three years.
5. Declaration
We confirm that we meet and exceed the definition of Technical Adviser under the Safety Management System for Mercury Travel Ltd, and will continue to provide competent, evidence-based advice on all safety-related matters.
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