RAC has welcomed WA Labor’s commitment to invest a further $72 million into lifesaving regional road upgrades, if re-elected in March.
Today’s announcement by WA Labor includes $50 million towards the Regional Road Safety Program, adding to an existing $455 million funding partnership between the State and Federal Governments to deliver the project.
RAC General Manager Corporate Affairs Will Golsby said it’s great to see regional road safety recognised as a priority for WA ahead of the March election.
“We’re very pleased to see WA Labor commit to delivering more regional road upgrades, which will go a long way to reducing the unacceptable number of deaths and serious injuries that continue to occur in our regional communities,” Mr Golsby said.
“Deaths occur on WA’s regional roads at nearly six times the rate of Perth, making our regional communities some of the most dangerous places to drive in the entire country.
“This funding would see more upgrades to help address and prevent common crashes, such as cars veering off the road or into oncoming traffic.”
Fully funded, the $900 million Regional Road Safety Program would deliver lifesaving upgrades, such as rumble strips and widened road shoulders, to more than 17,000kms of WA’s regional road network, preventing thousands of fatal and serious crashes.
“The $900 million Regional Road Safety Program will be crucial to reducing road trauma across WA and ensuring more Western Australians make it home to their loved ones,” Mr Golsby said.
“We’re seeing very positive steps toward making our regional roads safer, with the most important next step to secure full funding to deliver the Regional Road Safety Program in its entirety — that’s a $900 million investment over the next four years.”
RAC also welcomes additional WA Labor funding commitments of $14.8 million towards the Regional Roads Upgrades Program, $5 million to increase the number of truck rest stops on major roads and $2 million toward a new Rural Crash Reduction Program.Last year, 155 people tragically lost their lives on WA’s roads. Sixty per cent of those fatalities once again occurred in regional areas. Thousands more were seriously injured.
Find out more about RAC’s State Election Priorities.
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Media contact: Caitlin Barr, 0401 703 719 or media@rac.com.au
