ROAD SAFETY —
SOUTH WESTERN HIGHWAY — BUNBURY
715. Ms M.J. DAVIES to the Minister for Transport:
I refer to the dangerous stretch of
South Western Highway between Hynes Road and the Picton Road rail crossing and
repeated calls from the community and businesses along that stretch to reduce
the speed limit.
(1) Will the
government commit to immediately reducing the speed limit from 100 kilometres
an hour to 80 kilometres an hour?
(2) Will the government include funds in the upcoming
state budget to improve road safety for the 6 000 vehicles using the
road each day as a priority project for Main Roads?
Ms R.
SAFFIOTI replied:
(1) I thank the
member for that question. The member for Murray–Wellington, who unfortunately
is not in the chamber today, has raised this issue with me. As I responded
today to a media inquiry in response to an advertisement in the paper today, we
are undertaking an urgent review of the speed limit in that area. That review
is being conducted by the police, Main Roads and an independent road expert. I will
await the response of that review, but, of course, I am always keen to improve
road safety.
(2) In relation
to the allocation of funds, as the member will be aware, we are injecting a record
amount into regional road safety. As part of that review, we will look at any
engineering or other structural issues that need to be addressed.