The Australian Government’s Regional Level Crossing Upgrade Fund (RLCUF) will boost upgrades to railway crossings in Victoria and Western Australia.
The RLCUF aims to improve railway crossing safety in regional areas and reduce serious and fatal accidents that have a devastating impact on communities.
The Australian Government has committed $160 million over four years to state and territory governments to fund up to 50 per cent of the cost of delivering railway crossing upgrades.
The Victorian Government will fund 50 per cent of projects costs and receive $5 million in the first round of funding, which will go towards a proposed program of works across regional Victoria.
The proposed list includes five priority areas for railway crossing improvements to tourist and heritage projects in regional and urban areas.
These upgrades include installing boom barriers, axle counters, and a pedestrian maze with automatic gates and electromagnetic latches on the emergency exit gates.
Give-way signs at two sites will also be upgraded to boom barriers and flashing lights.
The WA Government will fund 50 per cent of projects costs and receive $7.1 million in the first round of funding, which will be directed to works across regional areas of the state’s road network.
The proposed list includes 14 priority projects for railway crossing improvements across regional areas of the WA road and rail systems.
These upgrades include installing flashing lights, audible warning devices, enhanced signage along with a pedestrian maze upgrade to increase the visibility of crossings on both sides of the roadway in response to approaching trains.
Acting Victorian Public and Active Transport Minister Melissa Horne said the railway crossing upgrades would deliver a huge boost for the priority locations that have been identified across the state.
“These upgrades will reduce the risk of serious and even fatal incidents and crashes, and improve the overall safety of our railway crossings for years to come,” she said.
“This funding builds on the Victorian Government’s signature level crossing program that is removing dangerous and congested boom gates across the state.”
WA Transport and Tourism Minister Rita Saffioti said the State Government placed a high priority on improving level crossing safety in regional WA.
“That is why we have established a program to upgrade high priority level crossings to active controls and replace all give-way controlled crossings with a minimum of a stop sign,” she said.
“The $7.1 million contribution from the Australian Government in the first round of the Regional Level Crossing Upgrade Fund is a major boost to improving level crossing safety and will allow us to expand our existing program of work.
“I welcome the Australian Government’s contribution and commitment to improving the safety of level crossings in regional Western Australia.”
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