National Black Spot Program to improve safety in Maribyrnong electorate

Joint with:

The Hon Bill Shorten MP

Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme

Minister for Government Services

Member for Maribyrnong

Lisa Chesters MP

Federal Member for Bendigo

Chair of the Victorian Black Spot Consultative Panel

Funding under the Labor Government’s Black Spot Program will substantially improve the safety of a number of dangerous crash sites across the country.

The Hon. Bill Shorten, Member for Maribyrnong, and Minister for the NDIS and Government Services, welcomes the 47 Black Spot projects across Victoria.

The projects led by Senator the Hon Carol Brown, Assistant Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, will make an important contribution towards reducing serious injuries and deaths on local roads, and build on previous investments.

The state of Victoria will receive a total of $18.4 million under the Black Spot Program’s 2022-23 funding round.

One of the projects will be in our own backyard. Almost $1.5 million will go towards improving the safety of Mount Alexander Road in Travancore.

The Victorian Department of Transport will install illuminated LED bicycle warning signs and amber colour ground stud lights on bicycle line markings on Mount Alexander Road.

The local community welcomes the installations following the tragic accident of a well-known local resident in 2020.

Being a resident of Travancore himself, Minister Shorten is relieved to know Mount Alexander Road will be much safer for all who use it.

In her capacity as Chair of the Victorian Black Spot Consultative Panel, Lisa Chesters MP, will be involved in providing opportunities for local stakeholders to have a say in the project selection process, and ensure that nominations of the highest priority and importance to the local community are recommended for approval.

The Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics has found that Black Spot projects reduce the number of crashes causing death and injury by 30 per cent on average.

This investment in Black Spot projects will deliver safer roads throughout the state.

The Black Spot Program funds safety measures such as traffic signals and roundabouts at locations where a number of serious crashes are known to have occurred, or are at risk of occurring.

The following quotes can be attributable to Moonee Valley City Council Mayor, Cr Samantha Byrne:

“Moonee Valley City Council is supportive of the Government’s Black Spot Program to improve the safety of our community.”

“We are delighted the Government has commitment to invest $1.5 million towards improving the safety of cyclists on Mt Alexander Road in Travancore by installing illuminated LED bicycle warning signs, amber colour ground stud lights on bicycle line marking along Mt Alexander Road.”

“This project also strongly aligns with Council’s Transport Safety Strategy and commitment to the installation of treatments to prioritise safe people and safe roads and to assist us to achieve our goal of zero fatalities and serious injuries within Moonee Valley.”

/Public Release. View in full here.