Latest news with #ReeceWhitby
West Australian
5 days ago
- Automotive
- West Australian
Criticism over neglected Geraldton-Mount Magnet Road as record road funding was announced by State Government
Pleas for regional road upgrades are being ignored, according to the Member for Geraldton, in the wake of the Cook Government's record funding package for safer roads across WA. A record funding injection of $57 million to support more than 100 projects across the State was announced by Transport Minister Rita Saffioti and Road Safety Minister Reece Whitby at the end of July. The funding will be allocated to the 2025-26 State Black Spot Program and Safer Roads Program and includes 54 roads in regional WA, including $221,000 for the Northampton Kalbarri Road, $263,847 for Eastward Road-Pass Street-Rifle Range Road and $1.76 million for Eastward Road-Flores Road. Geraldton MLA Kirrilee Warr said while funding for the City of Greater Geraldton and Shire of Northampton was welcomed, it was disappointing to see other major roads in the region ignored. 'The road improvements within the area are welcomed, but there are important projects that have been missed,' she said. '$225m is what was needed to make all the safety improvements recommended for Geraldton-Mt Magnet Road, and not a cent was included in this announcement. 'When will the State Government acknowledge this is a road that is in desperate need of upgrades to ensure safety for the Geraldton and wider Mid West communities?' The Geraldton-Mt Magnet Road was included in the RAC's top 10 most risky regional roads, described as having poor surface quality, sharp turns and lacking overtaking opportunities. In response to Ms Warr's comments, a State Government spokesperson said more than $31 million had been invested on the road since July 2023 through the Regional Road Safety Program, and it was not included in the recent funding announcement as the State Black Spot Program was aimed towards smaller road projects. 'A significant amount of investment has been made on the Geraldton-Mt Magnet Road in recent years,' the spokesperson said. 'The Government will continue to invest in the Geraldton-Mt Magnet Road in the coming years. 'The State Black Spot program is tailored towards smaller projects that help to enhance safety throughout the State. As part of the criteria the maximum cost per project is $3 million.'
West Australian
01-08-2025
- Automotive
- West Australian
Kennedy Street to receive upgrades under State Government's Black Spot Program
Road safety in Port Hedland will receive a boost as part of the State Government's 2025-26 Black Spot Program, in an effort to save lives. Raised plateaus will be installed on Kennedy Street between Banksia Street and Cottier Drive with the State Government injecting $183,333 into the non-staged project. Transport Minister Rita Saffioti said the injection was part of the biggest investment the State Government had ever made into road safety programs. 'Improving road safety is a high priority for our government, which is why we continue to make significant investments to upgrade roads across WA,' she said. 'We know that small changes can make a massive difference when it comes to road safety, and the investment we're announcing today will support upgrades at more than 100 locations around the State.' Road Safety Minister Reece Whitby said the funded projects have a proven crash history or are high risk for drivers. 'Which is why the Cook Government is ramping up its efforts to fund important projects like these,' he said. 'Despite another devastating year so far in road fatalities, we're working hard in delivering road upgrades, increasing the safety for all drivers across our State.' The funding is a part of the State Government's $57 million investment in more than 100 projects across the State under the 2025-26 State Black Spot Program and the Safer Roads Program.
West Australian
31-07-2025
- Automotive
- West Australian
Kimberley road works funded in State Government's Road Safety cash injection
Two road works in the Kimberley will receive funding as part of the State Government's 2025-26 Black Spot Program. Lakeview Drive in Kununurra will be funded to the tune of $227,526 for stage one works, widening the narrow seal on the road, upgrading pedestrian paths and installing pavement markings, signs and delineation. Stage two of the project is to be funded in the future with a total cost of $436,871. Fairbairn Street in Derby will also receive upgrades, widening the seal, formal parking and bus bays, install pedestrian path, kerbing and upgrade lighting at Derby Senior High School at the cost of $75,000 for stage one. Stage two will be funded in the future with a total cost of $1,057,963. Transport Minister Rita Saffioti said the injection was the biggest investment the State Government had ever made through the two road safety programs. 'Improving road safety is a high priority for our government, which is why we continue to make significant investments to upgrade roads across WA,' she said. 'We know that small changes can make a massive difference when it comes to road safety, and the investment we're announcing today will support upgrades at more than 100 locations around the State.' Road Safety Minister Reece Whitby said the funded projects have a proven crash history or are high risk for drivers. 'Which is why the Cook Government is ramping up its efforts to fund important projects like these,' he said. 'Despite another devastating year so far in road fatalities, we're working hard in delivering road upgrades, increasing the safety for all drivers across our State. The funding is a part of the State Government's $57 million injection to more than 100 projects across WA under the 2025-26 Black Spot Program and the Safer Roads Program.
West Australian
30-07-2025
- West Australian
Police Minister warns E-hoons: your devices will be seized
Police Minister Reece Whitby has defended police figures showing fines for speeding and not wearing a helmet on e-rideables are down, saying more modified devices are being seized. The West Australian on Wednesday revealed only 14 e-riders were fined for exceeding the speed limit in the first 10 months of last year. That compares to 25 in all of 2023 and 34 in 2022. 'The way police have approached this operationally is to be looking at those devices which are capable of excessive speed and have been illegally modified,' Mr Whitby said on Wednesday. 'Police have seized hundreds, hundreds of those vehicles per year and, indeed, it's increasing year on year and many have been destroyed.' According to figures tabled in State Parliament, 156 e-scooters were impounded in 2024 up from 75 in 2023, 30 in 2022 and only three in 2021. 'Increasingly they are seizing those devices now, whether they're e-rideables, whether they're e-bikes, whether they're e-motorbikes of dirt bikes,' Mr Whitby said. 'Any vehicle that has been illegally modified, whether they're speeding or not. It could be resting on the side of the road . . . they are seizing those devices now. 'Police are taking very firm action on this issue.' A State Parliament inquiry investigating whether regulations need to be toughened got underway on Wednesday and has been expanded to include e-bikes, after the death of a nurse who was allegedly hit in an Edgewater park on Saturday. Mr Whitby has called on the Federal Government to do more to stop dangerous imports. 'There is no need for someone to be on an e-rider or a scooter or a knee bike at 60 or 70 or 80 kilometres an hour,' he said. 'You cannot do it legally on a road, or certainly a footpath, so why should they be for sale? So this is an issue I want to take up with the Federal Government in terms of important devices capable of these speeds.' A 17-year-old boy has been charged with manslaughter, over the Edgewater crash.
ABC News
28-07-2025
- ABC News
WA government broadens scope of e-rideable inquiry following woman's death in dirt bike incident
The WA government will expand an inquiry into the safety of e-rideables to include electric dirt bikes, following the death of a 59-year-old woman in Perth. She died in Picnic Cove Park in Edgewater after a crash involving a high-powered electric motorcycle on Saturday. A 17-year-old boy has since appeared in court charged with manslaughter, driving without a license and using an unlicensed vehicle on a road in relation to the woman's death. It comes as a state parliamentary committee probes the safety, regulation and penalties associated with electric powered personal mobility devices, known as e-rideables. In Western Australia, an e-rideable is defined as something that weighs 25 kilograms or less and has a speed limit of 25 kph on level ground. The bike involved in the crash would not be considered an e-rideable under that definition. But Road Safety Minister Reece Whitby said he would be asking the committee to expand its scope. The review is also looking at the usage and policing of e-rideables in entertainment precincts and other highly used pedestrian areas. Ahead of any recommendations by the inquiry, the minister said he had his own ideas around how to limit the use of e-rideables in built-up areas. "For instance the circumstances where they can be used on footpaths, the speed, I think there's new technology that can automatically limit an e-scooter on a footpath," he said. The pedestrian's death in Edgewater was not the first involving a battery-powered vehicle this year. In June, 51-year-old Thanh Phan was the first pedestrian to die after being hit by an e-scooter in WA. In a plea to prevent further serious incidents, Mr Phan's family called for a review of the governance and safety regulations regarding hired e-scooters. The City of Perth subsequently suspended the hiring of e-scooters, in response to the tragedy. Royal Perth Hospital's head of trauma services Dieter Weber told the ABC his team saw serious injuries from e-scooter incidents "daily". WA Opposition Leader Basil Zempilas said including e-bikes into the parliamentary inquiry was crucial. "There are too many fatalities and now too many incidents with these forms of transportation," he said. Mr Zempilas said safety had to be "the top priority". "We understand accessibility and transportation methods that aid people getting around is really useful, but not at the expense of people's safety," he said.
