Reducing road Black Spots in Wide Bay

18/11/2016

Reducing road Black Spots in Wide Bay

• 30 per cent reduction in fatal and casualty crashes at fixed black spots.
• Australian Government fixing eight road black spots in Wide Bay.
• Member for Wide Bay, Llew O’Brien appointed Chair of the Queensland Black Spots Consultative Panel.

The ongoing work to remove dangerous black spots in Wide Bay is progressing well as the Australian Government works to tackle the nation’s rising road toll.

Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Darren Chester and Federal Member for Wide Bay Llew O’Brien yesterday visited the roundabout installed at Monkland Street and Barter Street in Gympie, a successful project completed in 2014 under the Black Spot Programme.

Mr Chester said this was one of eight black spots in Wide Bay identified in the current Black Spot Programme.

“Residents will recognise the history and notoriety of each of these locations, including through their own near misses and seeing emergency services at the site first-hand,” Mr Chester said.

“The national road toll has grown by 7.2 per cent in the last 12 months, which is why we are doubling down on our road safety efforts through initiatives such as the Black Spot Programme.

“The good news is that the latest review of the Black Spot Programme estimated that each black spot we fix reduces fatal and casualty crashes by 30 per cent at those locations.

“We committed $500 million to the Black Spot Programme from the 2014 to 2018 financial years, including an additional $200 million over two years from 2015-16 to tackle road safety across the country.”

Mr O’Brien, recently appointed chairman of the Queensland Black Spots consultative panel said the roundabout had been installed after five crashes were recorded in the five years to 2011.

“The $650,000 project has made this intersection dramatically safer for motorists,” Mr O’Brien said.

“We only have preliminary data available, but so far only one casualty crash has been reported since the roundabout was built up until the end of 2015.”

“Maryborough residents will soon also enjoy the benefits of the Black Spot Programme, with work under the program to increase safety at the intersection of Lennox and Albert streets, where there were five injuries in the five years to 2011.

“Time and time again we have seen crashes occurring at this give way sign for a relatively busy intersection, which is why new work will redesign the centre median as well as increasing lighting and signage to try and make this intersection safer.”

“As a former police traffic accident investigator I understand the benefits of building safer roads.  Black spot projects like this make our local streets safer and make our communities safer.  I’m pleased the Coalition Government is fixing black spots to reduce the risk of crashes.”

 

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/.