Feds fund road safety Coast Council cashed up for black-spot fixes

THE Gold Coast will receive an extra $6m in road safety funding as part of a $2.2 billion pre-election pitch from the Coalition.

The Morrison Government will this morning announce a $2.2 billion road safety funding spend across the nation which will include $29.6m for the Gold Coast Roads to Recovery budget – up from a budgeted $23.7m.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the funds would be directed to the Gold Coast City Council to determine how to improve safety on the region’s roads.

“The truth is fatal road accidents are far too common,’’ Mr Morrison said. “More than a thousand Australians died on our roads last year.

“These programs mean local councils decide where the money should be spent. They are in the best position to identify black spots and problem areas.”

The announcement will include:

• An extra $1.1 billion in funding for local governments.

• An extra $550 million to the government’s black spot program, through which funding is targeted to known highrisk locations. It reduces serious crashes by 30 per cent on average.

• A further $571.1 million to improve the safety and efficiency of heavy vehicle operations.

• A new $12 million Road Safety Innovation Fund to support research and development in areas such as regional road safety, driver distraction from mobile devices, protecting vulnerable road users and reducing drug driving.

• The creation of an Office of Road Safety

“The Office of Road Safety will provide a national point for collaboration and leadership on key road safety priorities, working closely with states, territories, local government, and key road safety stakeholders,” said Deputy Prime Minister and Transport Minister Michael McCormack.

“Safer roads save lives. They also create jobs in construction and boost productivity.

“The Liberals and Nationals are building safer roads and bridges.

“This means safer heavy vehicle operations, which is critical to our goal of reducing road trauma on the nation’s roads.

“We must push ahead with practical measures and infrastructure funding to drive road deaths towards zero.”

There were 1143 road toll victims across the country in 2018 – including 244 in Queensland.

And in Queensland last year, 29 people died from crashes involving semi-trailers.

It is the third pre-budget commitment for the Gold Coast.

The Morrison Government last week committed $8 million to investigating fast rail between Brisbane and the Gold Coast.

Last year it committed $112 million for the Gold Coast light trail’s third stage, between Broadbeach and Burleigh, with the money to be included in next week’s budget.

Labor has also matched the tram funding, which ensures the project will go ahead regardless of which party wins the May election.