A tragic year on the roads has led the Shire of Moira to push for and receive critical safety grants
The Victorian government has announced that the Shire of Moira will receive up to $130,000 in funding to improve road safety amid a tragic year on roads in the community.
Victorian road safety minister Melissa Horne announced that the Shire was successful in two of its applications to the 2023 Transport Accident Commission (TAC) Local Government Grant Program.
“We’re deeply concerned with the number of lives lost on our state’s roads this year, and we will continue working with local governments to address road safety issues impacting their communities,” Horne says.
“But driving down road trauma takes all of us doing the right thing every time we hit the road.”
A grant of $30,000 will go towards the development of a Moira Road Safety Strategy and Action Plan. The Victorian government says the plan will help to identify key road safety issues within the shire and develop a plan to improve road safety for all users.
A second grant of up to $100,000 will go towards the construction of a raised intersection treatment, including two wombat crossings. This construction forms part of the Nathalia Safer Pedestrian Project.
The Shire of Moira has seen 12 road deaths this year compared to three lives lost this time last year. Across the wider Hume region, 57 people have lost their lives on roads.
“The Moira Shire community has felt the devastation of road trauma firsthand this year, with a significant increase to fatalities on their roads,” Northern Victoria minister Jaclyn Symes says.
“Our hearts go out to all those impacted, as we work to make our roads safer.”
The TAC grant program was open for application between July and August of this year, with analysis grants of up to $30,000 and infrastructure grants of up to $100,000 available for projects that adopt Safe System principles to reduce crashes involving pedestrians and cyclists.
The 2023 program also saw the addition of grants of up to $30,000 for developing road safety strategies and action plans as well as a further $30,000 for purchasing variable message signs.
“We’re working with local governments to improve road safety within their communities,and we look forward to collaborating with the Shire of Moira on these new projects,” TAC CEO Tracey Slatter says.
The Victorian government says that a full list of successful recipients for the grants will be released in early 2024.