TRC endorses the Toowoomba Region Road Safety Strategy 2024–2028

Toowoomba Regional Council (TRC) today (Tuesday, October 15, 2024) endorsed the Toowoomba Region Road Safety Strategy 2024-2028, which is designed to achieve a safer road environment and encourage safer road user behaviour.

TRC Transport and Drainage Planning portfolio spokesperson, Cr Trevor Manteufel, said the 2024-2028 strategy underlines Council’s commitment to work towards significantly reducing road trauma across our Region.

The 2024-2028 draft strategy aligns with the National Road Safety Strategy 2021-2030 and the Queensland Road Safety Action Plan 2020-2025. It is underpinned by the ‘Safe System’ approach to road safety, which is framed by the guiding vision that ‘no person should be killed or seriously injured on Australia's roads’.

“Council is working towards a vision of zero road deaths and serious injuries in our Region,” Cr Manteufel said.

“The 2024-2028 strategy proposes a framework for Council, its key road safety stakeholders and the broader community to work on this vision together.

“The strategy aims to position Council as a community leader in road safety.

“Loss of life and serious injuries from road crashes have a devastating effect on our community. This equated to $322 million in economic and social costs in our Region in 2022-2023 (on Council and State-controlled roads), in addition to the anguish and emotional trauma that is caused through each death or serious injury.”

Cr Manteufel said the 2024-2028 strategy actions would focus on engineering treatments, crash investigation and prevention, speed management, vulnerable road users, plus advocacy and support.

“With a Council network of nearly 6,700 kilometres of sealed and unsealed roads, the safety and wellbeing of all road users, including pedestrians, cyclists and motorists, is a high priority for Council,” Cr Manteufel said.

“The 2024-2028 strategy builds on the work of the 2019-2023 Road Safety Strategy. It also continues to support Council’s commitment towards providing a road network increasingly free of fatal and serious crashes and proposes numerous core actions which are achievable by 2028.

“This strategy transitions to a more evidence-based approach along with integrating new technology, such as data analytics, to proactively prevent crashes from occurring.

“Council is appreciative of the community feedback that helped in the preparation of the new strategy.”

Key strategic elements: 1. Engineering Treatments: Focus on improving high-risk areas through road design and maintenance. Key actions include: • Road Safety Audits and Safe System Assessments; and • Proactive identification of black spot locations.

2. Crash Investigation and Prevention: Implementing measures to investigate and prevent crashes by using advanced technologies, such as video analytics, to assess potentially unsafe road segments.

3. Speed Management: Regular reviews of speed limits and the implementation of moderating devices in vulnerable areas, such as residential streets and high-pedestrian zones.

4. Vulnerable Road Users: Improvements to pedestrian and cyclist infrastructure are given priority to ensure safety for these high-risk groups. This includes safety assessments of schools and urban cycling pathways.

5. Advocacy and Support: Engaging with state agencies and the community through road safety awareness campaigns, such as Queensland Road Safety Week and National Road Safety Week.

The motion was approved at Council’s October Ordinary Meeting.