FEDERAL FUNDING TO FIX 10 ‘BLACK SPOTS’ IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA

TEN additional dangerous sites on Western Australian 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 today announced an additional $6.13 million for the state under the Black Spot Program’s 2019–20 funding round, bringing total funding for 2019–20 to $14.35 million.

“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 the provision of safety measures such as traffic signals and roundabouts at road locations where a number of serious crashes are known to have occurred.”

Assistant Minister for Road Safety and Freight Transport Scott Buchholz said this investment in Black Spot projects would deliver safer roads in local government areas throughout the state.

“The total 34 Black Spot projects being funded across Western Australia in 2019–20 will make an important contribution towards reducing the total annual number of serious injuries and deaths caused by road crashes,” Mr Buchholz said.

“The Federal Liberal and Nationals Government’s Local and State Government Road Safety Package announced in the 2019–20 Budget is focused on improving local roads, especially on local country roads where there is a disproportionate number of deaths and serious accidents.”

Chair of the Western Australia Black Spot Consultative Panel and Senator for Western Australia Dean Smith said 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.

“Seventy-eight per cent of this year’s Black Spot funding in Western Australia will go to improve the safety of Black Spots on rural and regional roads,” Senator Smith said.

“The Federal Liberal and Nationals Government has committed $1.05 billion to the Black Spot Program from 2013–14 to 2022–23 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.