Overview
The State Budget provides an overall investment of $10 billion in transport related infrastructure over the forward estimates. The Government is making investments in metropolitan and regional road upgrades and public transport.
Stage 1 of the Regional Road Safety Program (Local Roads), a key election commitment, will invest $250 million over five years (2025-26 to 2029-30) to improve 3,500 km of sealed local roads. The program will implement safety treatments such as shoulder sealing, installation of edge lines (including audible lines), wide centreline treatments, and hazard removal. This targeted approach aims to reduce fatalities and serious injuries, aligning with the State’s road safety strategy. The program will be delivered primarily by local governments.
To enhance safety for students and pedestrians whilst crossing busy roads, $8.5 million will be spent over 2025-26 and 2026-27 to install signalised pedestrian crossings at high-risk locations across the State.
$8.3 million has been allocated for the investigation and analysis of options for the future control and operation of the State’s freight rail network, including a potential return to public ownership.
Motor Vehicle Licence Fees will be increased by 3.9%. Driven by larger than forecast growth in number of vehicles registered, total revenue from motor vehicle licence fees is now forecast to be $68.9 million higher over four years, leading to an anticipated $10.5 million increase in funding for Local Government roads under the State Road Funds to Local Government agreement over 2025-26 to 2028-29.
WALGA Comment
Funding Stage 1 of the Regional Road Safety Program (Local Roads) is a major commitment toward delivering the prioritised program as advocated by WALGA and the RAC to apply treatments to 8,208km of high-speed sealed local government roads across WA.
WALGA welcomes the investment in safer children’s crossings, which reflects an important policy shift to encourage students to walk or ride to schools. Significant work remains to address the identified highest risk locations. Working with WA Police, the Road Safety Commission and Main Roads WA, WALGA identified 30 priority crossings that should be the immediate focus in a $15 million program to signalise the least safe crossings. Only some of these are included in the funded program.
