Safe local roads…not yet

By Lachlan Ellis

Moorabool Shire Council has missed out on the initial round of a State Government road funding program, but is hopeful of qualifying for future funding.

Last month the State Government announced the first 11-local governments to receive funding under its $210 million ‘Safe Local Roads and Streets Program’, to develop, design and plan road safety improvements along council-managed roads, intersections and precincts’.

Minister for Roads and Road Safety, Melissa Horne, said the program was “fostering new relationships between local governments and the Department of Transport and Planning and TAC”.

“Local councils play a crucial role in identifying their region’s road safety needs and this program will allow us to work together with councils to design and build safer roads for their communities,” TAC CEO Tracey Slatter added.

While the City of Melton and Central Goldfields Shires were among those receiving funding in the first round of the Safe Local Roads and Streets Program, Moorabool is not an initial recipient.

Moorabool Shire Council CEO Derek Madden said it was a shame not to be on the list, but hoped Council would be successful in future rounds.

“Although Council was disappointed not to be chosen as one of the councils in the initial development round of funding, we have an opportunity to put in an application for funding for round 2, which we will do,” Mr Madden told the Moorabool News.

“We haven’t identified specific projects for this funding yet,but will do so once the government opens the funding round.”

The State Government says all Victorian local governments will be progressively introduced to the program from late 2023, based on information from the initial expressions of interest process and councils’ willingness to participate in the program.