Funding to fix black spots
APRIL 21: THE main street of Ayr is a beneficiary under the latest round of Black Spot Programme funding, as is the notorious Horse & Jockey Road and Landsdowne Road intersection at Racecourse near Mackay.The Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Darren Chester’s has announced that $70,000 would be provided by the Liberal National Government to fix the black spot at the intersection of Queen and Soper streets in Ayr.This black spot funding will be used to modify the approaches and centre island geometry, for resurfacing and upgrading line marking.In the Mackay region, though it actually falls in the Capricornia electorate, I welcome the announcement of $1.19 million for the intersection of Horse Jockey Road and Landsdowne Road. Funding under the Black Spot Programme is recommended by a panel of independent road safety experts and this will be delivered during the course of 2016-17.Residents will recognise the history and notoriety of this location, including through their own near misses and seeing emergency services at the site first-hand, and I am glad to hear this intersection is getting the attention it needs.The annual economic cost of road crashes is estimated at $27 billion per year.Governments of all levels have made significant progress over several decades in reducing fatalities, yet there is still work to be done.These investments are helping to make our local roads safer for motorists, cyclists and pedestrians.The Australian Government has committed $500 million to the Black Spot Programme from 2014‑15 to 2018-19, including an additional $200 million over two years from 2015-16 to improve road safety and infrastructure across the country.The Black Spot Programme allows anyone to make a submission for a safety upgrade to a road or intersection in their local area.According to the Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics, there were 1,242 road deaths in Australia in the 12 months to February 2016. This is far too many and we must continue the campaign to make our roads safer.For more information on the Australian Government’s Black Spot Programme, or to nominate a black spot, visit http://investment.infrastructure.gov.au/funding/blackspots/.