Assistant Minister to the Deputy Prime Minister and Member for Hinkler, Keith Pitt, and Member for McMillan, Russell Broadbent, have announced $14.7 million for Victoria under the Black Spot Program's 2018–19 funding round.
They were joined by the RACV's Mobility Advocacy Manager and Member of the Victorian Black Spot Consultative Panel, Dave Jones, at the site of a black spot in Bunyip, where more than $850,000 has been allocated to install a new guard rail.
“The Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics (BITRE) has found that, on average, Black Spot projects reduce the number of crashes causing death and injury by 30 per cent,” Mr Pitt said.
“The Black Spot Program provides much needed funding for safety measures such as traffic signals and roundabouts at dangerous locations.”
Dave Jones from the RACV said local communities should get involved in the Black Spot Program.
“We encourage local communities to consider nominating sites with significant safety issues for future funding,” Mr Jones said.
“Many of these sites are in regional and rural areas, where further work needs to be done to improve the safety of roads.
“As our population grows, it's essential that spending on safety measures and road maintenance keeps pace with higher traffic volumes.”
The Federal 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 Government's Black Spot Program, or to nominate a black spot, visit: investment.infrastructure.gov.au/funding/blackspots/.