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Chester hails initial success black spot project

Crashes at fixed black spot locations see ‘30 per cent reduction’, minister says

 

Infrastructure and transport minister Darren Chester says the ongoing works to remove black spots is showing early signs of success.

Visiting the new roundabout at Monkland Street and Barter Street in Gympie with Queensland Black Spots consultative panel chairman Llew O’Brien, Chester says each black spot fixed “reduces fatal and casualty crashes by 30 per cent” at that location.

“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,” Chester says.

The new roundabout in Gympie is one of the eight locations in Queensland’s Wide Bay to be upgraded as part of the 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,” he says.

“The national road toll has grown by 5.2 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.

O’Brien says his experience as a former police traffic accident investigator makes him well aware of the benefits of this programme.

“The $650,000 project has made this intersection dramatically safer for motorists,” he says.

“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.”

“Black spot projects like this make our local streets safer and make our communities safer,” he says.

“I’m pleased the Coalition Government is fixing black spots to reduce the risk of crashes.”

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