Victorian communities urged to bid for road safety funding

Published date: 08 Apr 2021

Community projects that help vulnerable road users are set to receive a boost, with applications now open for a Transport Accident Commission road safety grants program.

The Community Road Safety Grant Program provides grants of up to $30,000 for projects that focus on delivering benefits to at-risk road users such as pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists across Victoria.

Not-for-profit groups and organisations, local council and schools across the state will share in funding of$800,000 throughout the year to develop and implement effective community-based road safety projects targeting local road safety issues.

In 2020, the diversity of successful projects to receive grant funding across the state included lower speed limit trials, council road safety strategies, community education programs, safe cycling routes at schools and improved crossing safety.

The TAC today joined the City of Greater Bendigo to visit a project previously funded by the program – a variable message sign (VMS) speed detection trailer – and to encourage applications from across Victoria for the 2021 round of funding.

Acting Minister for Roads and Road Safety Jacinta Allan said community groups and local councils knew their local roads best, and played a pivotal role in identifying issues in their area.

“We want communities to spread the word about road safety in a way that will resonate with their locals – these grants allow groups to do what will work best in their area to keep everyone safe.”

“I’m encouraging all community groups with a vision for a road safety project to get involved and apply for a grant,” Ms Allan said.

TAC CEO Joe Calafiore said road trauma had far-reaching impacts on local communities and the grants aimed to reduce the risk and impact in and around local roads.

“Road safety is shared responsibility and this grants program is just one way we can help councils and community groups achieve our goal of reducing road trauma,” Mr Calafiore said.

City of Greater Bendigo CEO Craig Niemann said the grants helped the council protect the community by introducing traffic management equipment to remind drivers to reduce speed and increase awareness.

“The relationship between speed and traffic accidents is well known, so funding for projects such as this helps to improve safety on our streets and reduce crashes and near misses,” Mr Niemann said.

Applications for the TAC Community Road Safety Grants 2021 round of funding open today (8 April) and close on 7 May. Find out more including program guidelines and how to apply