Kings Park and Rottnest benefit in road funding agreement with councils

KINGS Park and Rottnest Island can get improved roads in a new funding agreement between the State Government and councils that maintain 86 per cent of the State’s routes announced last Tuesday.

“The agreement recognises the need for co-operation and co-ordination between the two tiers of government which have an interest in roads,” Transport Minister Rita Saffioti said.

The five-year State Road Funds to Local Government Agreement gives 20 per cent of vehicle licence revenue to councils for their roads, increasing funds from $182 million in 2018-19 to about $203m in 2022-23.

Ms Saffioti said about $260 million was already committed to local roads between 2018-19 and 2021-22, with the funds split 66 to 33 per cent between councils’ and Main Roads’ projects.

Roads across 127,000km in WA are mostly in regions where Aboriginal communities are expected to benefit from the agreement, but some metropolitan councils immediately started working on the announcement’s implications to improve their local and suburban roads.

However, none asked in the western suburbs said which particular streets could benefit, apart from Claremont Council which cited recent State funding for the new Ashton Avenue bridge replacement which had improved traffic, cycling safety and pedestrian access.

“Another big project expected from this type of funding could be for the Congdon Street bridge replacement in Swanbourne, which will be the subject of a community information forum to be held on 24 October run by Main Roads,” a spokeswoman for the council said.

A Cottesloe Council spokeswoman said it would be investigated how to get securing funding to improve road safety in the town.

A spokeswoman for the King s Park Board said how the agreement’s funding would be used in the park would be provided once confirmation had been received from Main Roads.

N Congdon Street bridge replacement public forum, Claremont Football Club function room, 6pm, this Wednesday.