WA roads receive $123m for upgrades

The state government has committed to spend $123 million this financial year to upgrade local government roads in Western Australia.

The announcement is below:

The State Government will spend $122.9million in 2009-10 to upgrade local government roads in Western Australia, an increase of more than $6million on last year's total allocation.

Transport Minister Simon O'Brien said that the funding, part of the State Roads Funds to Local Government Agreement, was in recognition of the need to enhance WA's basic infrastructure requirements.

"The former Labor government's wasting of the boom years saw them become obsessed with headline grabbing marquee projects at the expense of getting the basics right," Mr O'Brien said.

"The Liberal-National Government knows it is fundamentally important to work with local communities to ensure that investment in local council's own road networks gets to the right places.

"We intend to listen and work directly with local communities to ensure that this money is spent where it is needed."

The Minister said that WA's State and local governments had endorsed the 2009-10 Local Roads Program through the State Road Funds to Local Government Advisory Committee.

"$52.5million of the total $122.9million will be spent on specific local government road programs, including the provision of new roads and major maintenance programs," he said.

"More than $31million will be provided to local governments for road, traffic signals and signage. Another $31million will support projects which have wider community benefits.

"The remaining $7.2million will be directed towards bridge maintenance, Aboriginal community access roads and to provide strategic and technical support to Regional Road Groups and the Western Australian Local Government Association.

"The Government that I am a part of is getting on with the job of working with local governments to ensure that motorists travelling on local roads are adequately served.

"The State Government is currently working with local governments to assess future funding requirements."