O’Connor to benefit from infrastructure projects

Seven infrastructure projects in O’Connor, specifically targeted to improve road safety for the heavy haulage industry, will receive combined funding of more than $2 million under the Heavy Vehicle Safety and Productivity Programme.

Member for O’Connor Rick Wilson MP announced today the Federal Government will allocate $2,300,000 to develop infrastructure in O’Connor, providing 50 per cent of the total funding required to complete each project.

Projects in O’Connor to be funded under round 5 of the HVSPP are:

• $242,500 for the construction a new heavy vehicle rest area on the Albany Highway near Cranbrook, including shelters, seating, sealed surfaces and potentially toilets.
• $300,000 for the construction of a heavy vehicle bay between Leonora and Laverton. The existing roadside parking area will be upgraded into roadside rest areas and parking areas for heavy vehicles in the northern Goldfields
• $300,000 to upgrade a heavy vehicle bay on Mt Magnet-Leinster Road. The bay will be extended to 250m in length to accommodate 3 to 4 triple road trains, including provision of seal and shelter.
• $300,000 to construct a new sealed heavy vehicle bay between Esperance and Ravensthorpe with shelter, 250m in length to accommodate 3 to 4 double road trains.
• $425,000 to construct two new heavy vehicle rest areas on M037 Collie-Lake King Road
• $232,500 for upgrading 2 existing roadside parking bays on the South Coast Highway including separation between light and heavy vehicles, improving shelters, sealed surfaces and toilets.
• $500,000 towards Mt Monger Rd Curve realignment & safety improvements in the Goldfields.

Mr Wilson said ensuring major highways had adequate rest bays and shelters for heavy vehicle drivers was critical to reducing fatigue-related crashes in the regions.

“As one of the few Members of Parliament with a heavy vehicle licence, I know how strenuous it is to guide a road train across huge distances,” he said.

“Truck drivers play such an integral role in O’Connor’s major industries, particularly at harvest times, and the Government has a responsibility to continually improve all aspects of our road network.

“These projects will benefit heavy vehicle drivers who travel routes as far north as Leinster and right down to the South Coast.”

The primary objective of the HVSPP is to reduce the proportion of road accidents involving heavy vehicles by targeting heavy vehicle driver fatigue and increasing productivity by enhancing the capacity of existing roads.