❓ The Minister for Road Safety outlines actions taken to reduce fatalities on Indian Ocean Drive following a safety review, including speed limit reduction, passing lane construction, audible lines, and improved signage.
AnsweredQoN 649Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
INDIAN OCEAN DRIVE
649. Mr B. URBAN to the
Minister for Road Safety:
I refer to the Indian Ocean Drive Safety Review Committee,
which has examined the dangerous stretch of road and which has recommended a number
of changes to improve safety.
Can the minister outline to this house what action this
government has taken to reduce the risk of further fatalities along Indian
Ocean Drive?
649. Mr B. URBAN to the
Minister for Road Safety:
I refer to the Indian Ocean Drive Safety Review Committee,
which has examined the dangerous stretch of road and which has recommended a number
of changes to improve safety.
Can the minister outline to this house what action this
government has taken to reduce the risk of further fatalities along Indian
Ocean Drive?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Darling Range for the question. I know
that as a former police officer he has, unfortunately, witnessed the aftermath
of too many road crashes and knows the impact of those crashes on not only the
individuals and the family members, but also our first responders who attend
these crashes.
Today, the Minister for Transport and I released the safe
system review into that stretch of road on Indian Ocean Drive. This is the
result of collaboration between Main Roads WA, Western Australia Police Force
and the Road Safety Commission. It has come up with quite a number of
recommendations, some short term, some more medium term and some long term. All
the recommendations are aimed at saving lives on our roads and reducing the
number of serious crashes on this stretch of road. I am disappointed, though,
that even with our higher level of police enforcement, we are still getting
drivers doing the wrong thing on that stretch of road. Over 400 people were
caught on the most recent long weekend alone, and some 200 infringements are
still being written up a week, with some at the very high end. In the last two
months, I am told that some 23 people were doing more than 140 kilometres an
hour on that stretch of road. People do not do 140 kays an hour by accident.
People doing that are dicing with death and putting other people's
lives at risk.
Some of the key recommendations are being implemented
immediately. This week, we will lower the speed limit on Indian Ocean Drive
from 110 kays an hour to 100 kays an hour. The evidence is that reducing the
speed limit will save lives. That is something we have immediately moved to do.
The Minister for Transport and her agency Main Roads WA brought forward federal
government funding for those extra passing lanes that we previously announced.
One set of passing lanes is being done immediately and another set will be done
in the new year. One of the measures that has been recommended as having a big
impact is audible lining on the edges and down the centre of roads. We are
moving straight ahead with that. There is already considerable edge lining in
place. Audible tactile edge and centre lines are installed. I am told that
there is already 32.7 kilometres complete and 29 kilometres of centre line will
be completed next month. The remaining 21 kays of centre and edge lines will be
completed by February 2018. We are getting on with that job. There will also be
the immediate replacement of some of those poorly reflective traffic signs.
Visibility at intersections will be looked at by Main Roads and others. Some of
that will be simple work, such as improving sightlines by eliminating some of
the shrubbery that is blocking the view.
I thank the Road Safety Commissioner in particular and those
from other agencies that participated in this review, Main Roads WA and the Western
Australia Police Force, for working together and collaborating effectively
towards the common good of saving lives and preventing crashes.
that as a former police officer he has, unfortunately, witnessed the aftermath
of too many road crashes and knows the impact of those crashes on not only the
individuals and the family members, but also our first responders who attend
these crashes.
Today, the Minister for Transport and I released the safe
system review into that stretch of road on Indian Ocean Drive. This is the
result of collaboration between Main Roads WA, Western Australia Police Force
and the Road Safety Commission. It has come up with quite a number of
recommendations, some short term, some more medium term and some long term. All
the recommendations are aimed at saving lives on our roads and reducing the
number of serious crashes on this stretch of road. I am disappointed, though,
that even with our higher level of police enforcement, we are still getting
drivers doing the wrong thing on that stretch of road. Over 400 people were
caught on the most recent long weekend alone, and some 200 infringements are
still being written up a week, with some at the very high end. In the last two
months, I am told that some 23 people were doing more than 140 kilometres an
hour on that stretch of road. People do not do 140 kays an hour by accident.
People doing that are dicing with death and putting other people's
lives at risk.
Some of the key recommendations are being implemented
immediately. This week, we will lower the speed limit on Indian Ocean Drive
from 110 kays an hour to 100 kays an hour. The evidence is that reducing the
speed limit will save lives. That is something we have immediately moved to do.
The Minister for Transport and her agency Main Roads WA brought forward federal
government funding for those extra passing lanes that we previously announced.
One set of passing lanes is being done immediately and another set will be done
in the new year. One of the measures that has been recommended as having a big
impact is audible lining on the edges and down the centre of roads. We are
moving straight ahead with that. There is already considerable edge lining in
place. Audible tactile edge and centre lines are installed. I am told that
there is already 32.7 kilometres complete and 29 kilometres of centre line will
be completed next month. The remaining 21 kays of centre and edge lines will be
completed by February 2018. We are getting on with that job. There will also be
the immediate replacement of some of those poorly reflective traffic signs.
Visibility at intersections will be looked at by Main Roads and others. Some of
that will be simple work, such as improving sightlines by eliminating some of
the shrubbery that is blocking the view.
I thank the Road Safety Commissioner in particular and those
from other agencies that participated in this review, Main Roads WA and the Western
Australia Police Force, for working together and collaborating effectively
towards the common good of saving lives and preventing crashes.
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