Road safety is at the forefront for the Australian and New South Wales governments, with a $178 million joint funding package enabling critical road upgrades to be completed in the 2021-22 financial year.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development Barnaby Joyce said this additional investment will fund another 141 life-saving projects in metro and regional areas across the state.
"This brings the Australian Government's total commitment to NSW to over $420 million through our $3 billion nationwide Road Safety Program," the Deputy Prime Minister said.
"Our Government is committed to keeping our communities safe, while securing our economic recovery - because investing in these infrastructure upgrades and jobs now will lay the foundations for a better future tomorrow.
"The funding supports the fast roll-out of life-saving safety works on rural and regional roads, and is another example of the Australian Government working to reduce the number of Australians missing around the dinner table due to tragedies on our roads."
NSW Minister for Transport and Roads Andrew Constance said the life-saving projects will help protect all road users, including cyclists and pedestrians.
"There will be an emphasis on road widening, shoulder sealing, rumble strips, median treatments to prevent head-on collisions, barriers to prevent run-off-road crashes and new shared paths," Minister Constance said.
"By upgrading these roads, we are improving essential links between regional communities and city centres, allowing better access to education, health and food services.
"Every death on our road is a tragedy, which is why we have committed record funding to upgrade over 1,400 kilometres of road across the state to ensure drivers get home safely to their loved ones."
NSW Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Paul Toole Paul Toole said Tranche 2 of the program is not only an investment in safer roads but an investment in local jobs.
"With 141 new projects being rolled out across the state, this is estimated to support around 1,000 jobs, providing a boost to the economy at a time it is most needed," Minister Toole said.
"With the pandemic continuing to impact our jobs, economy and livelihoods, it is vital that this Government continues to prioritise the roll-out of these projects that are supporting employment in regional communities.
"This investment in road safety is key to underpinning a safer, stronger road network in the bush."
Federal Assistant Minister for Road Safety and Freight Transport Scott Buchholz said every dollar spent on upgrading regional and rural roads is a dollar well spent, as nothing is more important than ensuring drivers make it home after every road trip.
"Making our roads safer forms part of our governments' shared vision to reduce deaths and serious injuries on our roads and move towards achieving vision zero - that is zero deaths or serious injuries on our roads by 2050," Assistant Minister Buchholz said.
"We are also investing significantly in other life-saving road safety initiatives including the Black Spot Program, Targeted Road Safety Works initiative and Road Safety Innovation Fund.
"This additional funding complements that work, resulting in an even greater roll out of improved infrastructure and roads right across the nation."
The Australian Government's funding for the Road Safety Program is subject to 'use it or lose it' provisions and will deliver life-saving treatments on regional roads and protect vulnerable road users across NSW, while also supporting local jobs and providing a welcome boost to local economies.
The 'use it or lose it' provisions require states and territories to use their notionally allocated funds within a timeframe, or the funds can be reallocated to projects in other jurisdictions.
