Road safety in West Gippsland has received a boost after Baw Baw Shire Council received two grants totalling $54,400 from the Transport Accident Commission grants program.

Harriet Shing MP, Member for Eastern Victoria Region has welcomed the funding for the following two projects aimed at improving safety for road users:

• – $25,000 to expand the existing variable message sign (VMS) trailer fleet and provide more important safety information to motorcycle and trail bike riders in popular riding areas.
• – $29,400 for safety upgrades at the Tetoora Road Community Centre carpark entry to improve safety for motorcycles, buses and cars using the rest stop.

Baw Baw Shire Council is one of 11 Victorian community groups to receive 13 Community Road Safety Grants in the latest round.

The grants program has been running since 2008, targeting a range of issues including speed, pedestrians, motorcyclists, cyclists, drink driving and driver education.

The TAC’s Community Road Safety Grants Program provides grants of up to $25,000 to community and not-for profit registered groups who can identify a road safety issue and come up with a proposal to fix it.

Applications for the next round of Community Road Safety Grants close on August 12. Visit www.tac.vic.gov.au for more information.

Quotes attributed to Member for Eastern Victoria Region, Harriet Shing MP:

“The work on improving road safety is never done, and these innovative and practical road safety projects will make a positive and potentially life-saving difference.”

“I encourage any group or person across Gippsland with ideas on making our roads safer to submit a proposal for the next round of funding.”

“Congratulations to Baw Baw Shire Council for focussing on improved motorcycle and trail bike safety – this group of road users is particularly at risk of serious injury or fatality in a collision.”