Councils secure funding for road safety upgrades

More than 30 councils across Victoria will roll out targeted infrastructure upgrades aimed at reducing road trauma, after securing funding through the Transport Accident Commission’s (TAC) Local Government Grant Program.

In total, 38 local government authorities will share in more than $2.5 million in funding, announced this week by Minister for Roads and Road Safety Melissa Horne.

The grants will support projects designed to protect vulnerable road users – particularly pedestrians and cyclists – by improving local road infrastructure and safety measures.

The program aligns with the ‘Safe System’ approach to road safety, which focuses on four pillars: safe roads and roadsides, safe vehicles, safe speeds and safe road users.

In metropolitan Melbourne, the City of Maribyrnong will install portable, solar-powered speed advisory signs in Footscray to raise awareness of vehicle speeds in busy local areas. In the City of Stonnington, funding will go towards a raised pedestrian crossing between the Stonnington Sports Centre and Chadstone Shopping Centre – improving visibility and safety for foot traffic.

In regional Victoria, Colac Otway Shire Council will use its grant to develop a strategy to improve safety infrastructure at intersections and pedestrian crossings, as well as to explore the provision of dedicated cycling infrastructure.

The funding comes as the state continues to grapple with the toll of road trauma on vulnerable users. In 2023, 48 pedestrians and 12 cyclists were killed on Victorian roads, while more than 950 others were hospitalised due to road crashes.

Applications for the next round of TAC Local Government Grant Program funding will open in mid-June 2025.

Full project details and application information are accessible here.