The South Australian 2024-25 Budget has allocated an additional $80.1 million to road safety measures.
These measures include reducing the speed limit on arterial roads and some council roads near schools to 40km/h at priority locations.
The limit will apply on weekdays during the mornings and afternoons when children are being dropped off and picked up. It will not apply on weekends, school holidays and public holidays. The new limit does not replace or remove existing 25km/h school zones on local streets.
$2.6 million will go towards installing new variable speed signage at priority locations near school pedestrian actuated (push button) crossings where the new 40km speed limit will apply.
Priority push button crossings will also be equipped with new road safety cameras, as part of a $38.7 million investment over four years for an additional 30 cameras across the state.
The locations will be determined by the Department for Infrastructure and Transport in consultation with SAPOL, based on crash statistics, driver behaviours, presence of vulnerable roads users and existing safety measures in place.
The change will come into effect from 2025-26.
As part of the $38.7 million, there will also be:
- 12 additional red light speed cameras installed in 2024-25
- Three additional point-to-point cameras installed in 2025-26
Those locations will be determined on the criteria outlined above, however the following five locations have been identified as potential priorities and are currently being investigated:
- Military Road
- Port Wakefield
- Lonsdale Highway/Ocean Boulevard
- Port River Expressway
- Greenhill Road
38 people have died on South Australian roads already in 2024. In the previous year, 117 lives were lost – the worst result since 2010.
According to police, dangerous driver behaviour such as speeding and running red lights continues to be a major factor.
The additional safety cameras are expected to be operational commencing from mid-2025 and all online from mid-2026, allowing time for them to be collaborated and commissioned.
All revenue from speed cameras and mobile phone detection cameras is returned to the Community Road Safety Fund which allocates money towards safety initiatives such as policing, infrastructure projects, black spots, education and training programs, road safety campaigns, road safety community grants and bike education in schools.
The 2024-25 State Budget also allocates to road safety:
- $35 million over three years to deliver road safety maintenance such as road resurfacing, replacement of safety barriers and audio tactile line marking, and maintenance of electrical assets, including traffic signals
- $3.8 million over three years for the construction of a new heavy vehicle rest area at Salt Creek along the Princes Highway, helping heavy vehicle drivers manage fatigue and improve road safety whilst commuting on South Australian roads. This will be funded with the Federal Government on an 80:20 basis
Image: Daria Nipot/shutterstock.com
