FEDERAL FUNDING TO FIX QUEENSLAND ‘BLACK SPOTS’

FORTY-FOUR dangerous crash sites on Queensland roads will be substantially improved over the next 12 months thanks to funding under the Federal Liberal and Nationals Government’s Black Spot Program.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development Michael McCormack and Chair of the Queensland Black Spot Consultative Panel and Member for Wide Bay Llew O’Brien today announced $12.562 million for the State under the Black Spot Program’s 2019–20 funding round.

“This major investment is part of the Federal Liberal and Nationals Government’s commitment to building safer roads right across the nation,” Mr McCormack said.

“The Black Spot Program provides funding for safety measures such as traffic signals and roundabouts at road locations where a number of serious crashes have occurred.

“The 44 Black Spot projects being funded across Queensland will therefore make an important contribution towards reducing the total annual number of serious injuries and deaths caused by road crashes.”

Mr O’Brien said this investment in Black Spot projects will deliver safer roads in 18 local government areas throughout the state.

“The Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics has found that, on average, Black Spot projects reduce the number of crashes causing death and injury by 30 per cent,” Mr O’Brien said.

“Funding has been allocated to these 44 crash sites in Queensland after they were identified as requiring safety improvements as a matter of high priority following a total of one fatal and 241 crashes causing injuries recorded over the past five years.

“The Queensland panel responsible for prioritising projects under the program includes representatives from the Queensland Police Service, Royal Automobile Club of Queensland, Queensland Trucking Association, Bicycle Queensland, Centre for Accident Research and Road Safety (Queensland University of Technology) and state and local government.”

The Federal Liberal and Nationals Government has committed $744.5 million to the Black Spot Program from 2013–14 to 2021–22 to improve road safety across the nation.

For more information on the Australian Government’s Black Spot Program, or to nominate a black spot, visit: http://investment.infrastructure.gov.au/funding/blackspots/.