Significant boost for road safety

By Tertia Butcher

Hay Shire Council has welcomed an announcement this week that the Albanese Government was strengthening its commitment to road safety with significant increases in funding and changes to programs to reduce the administrative burden on local councils.

“This is good for Hay,” General Manager, David Webb said.

“Under the announcement, Roads to Recovery funding will rise gradually from $500 million to $1 billion per year, and Black Spot funding will increase from the current annual commitment of $110 million to $150 million per year.”

Local governments look after more than 85 per cent of Australian roads, and Transport Minister, Catherine King said additional investment in the Commonwealth’s two cornerstone local roads investment programs would lead to safer and more productive roads across Australia.

“We are also committed to delivering the funding local councils need to improve road safety and in a way that reduces the burden on them, allowing more money to be spent on projects and less on administration,” Ms King added.

“Big roads and metropolitan highways might get a lot of the attention, but we spend most of our driving lives on local roads around where we live and where we work.

“Regional road networks have been battered by severe weather events over the last few years. This funding will help councils to fix and maintain our roads.

“This investment will support regional communities, and help move freight to and from our rural production centres. “This funding increase will give councils certainty and the ability to plan, along with a reduction in the administrative burden.

“We will merge the Heavy Vehicle Safety and Productivity Program (HVSPP) and the Bridges Renewal Program (BRP) into a new Safer Local Roads and Infrastructure Program.

“The changes have been recommended by the Independent Strategic Review of the Infrastructure Investment Program and the increases in funding will be phased in over the forward estimates to avoid putting pressure on inflation, supply costs and the construction labour market.

“This funding increase will give councils certainty and the ability to plan, along with a reduction in the administrative burden. “We are doing this in a responsible way, to give councils the funding they need while also ensuring the increase doesn’t put pressure on inflation.”