- Major $178 million increase in funding for regional transport in Mid-Year Review
- Conveyance allowance for school travel in regional areas increased
- Further $34 million for regional level crossing safety upgrades
- Additional $132million of State investment for regional road projects following Federal funding cuts
The Cook Labor Government will deliver a major boost to transport in regional Western Australia with an additional $178million for a wide range of initiatives.
The funding will support regional residents across a number of fronts including more assistance to access drivers' licences, increased financial support to get kids to and from school and unlocking key resource projects that will drive jobs and economic growth.
A further $4.1 million is being committed to extend the successful Driving Access and Equity Program that is helping disadvantaged learner drivers in regional Western Australia obtain their driver's licence, which further supports regional employment, education and community engagement.
An additional $8.3 million will be invested to increase the financial support for regional families getting kids to and from school, with the Student Transport Conveyance Allowance more than doubling from 25.24c per kilometre to 55.6c per kilometre.
The increase represents the most significant change to the Student Transport Conveyance Allowance since it was last reviewed in 2002.
The conveyance allowance is in place to support students with special needs and regional families who cannot access the Public Transport Authority's School Bus Services.
The Mid-Year Review also includes a major boost for safety upgrades at regional level crossings with an additional $34 million being invested. This includes $17 million from the Federal Government's Regional Australia Level Crossing Safety Program.
The total investment for regional level crossing safety upgrades over the next four years is now $54 million.
An additional $132 million in State funding will also be provided for four road projects that had Federal funding removed under a recent review of the nation's infrastructure pipeline:
- $48 million for the Moorine Rock to Mt Holland Road Upgrades;
- $48 million for the Marble Bar Road Upgrade;
- $29.6 million to continue planning for the Pinjarra Heavy Haulage Deviation project; and
- $6.4 million for the Great Southern Secondary Freight.
The funding boosts continue the Cook Labor Government's strong investment in transport initiatives and projects in regional WA including:
- the successful Regional Airfare Zone Cap scheme, which has so far provided more than 200,000 capped airfares for regional residents;
- the Regional Road Safety Program which will see more than 10,000km of regional roads upgraded with safety treatments by the end of the 2024-25 financial year;
- the recently completed $245 million New Fitzroy River Bridge; and
- the $1.35 billion Bunbury Outer Ring Road project
As stated by Transport Minister Rita Saffioti:
"We know access to affordable and reliable travel options is essential to regional and remote communities, which is why we continue to invest in measures that have a meaningful impact.
"The additional investment we are making will enhance transport for regional and remote communities by improving access to drivers' licences, increasing the financial assistance to get kids to and from school and delivering significant safety upgrades at regional level crossings.
"In response to the Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee's recently released Bus Fair report we will be more than doubling the conveyance allowance for regional families that cannot access the Public Transport Authority's School Bus Services.
"Increasing the conveyance allowance will not only assist in getting kids to school, but it will also deliver cost-of-living relief for some regional families.
"The new investments will deliver important upgrades to level crossings in regional WA with an additional $34 million being allocated to improve safety.
"The additional $34 million investment will take our overall investment in regional level crossing safety upgrades to $54 million over the next four years, which will allow us to expand this important work.
"The Government is delivering on its commitment to projects that had funding cut by the Federal Government as part of its review of the nation's infrastructure pipeline.
"The State Government will provide an additional $132 million to continue four road projects that had funding cut as part of the Federal IAP review, delivering on our commitment to seeing these projects delivered."
