$3.8 M for safer Darling Downs roads.

Darling Downs motorists will benefit from speed and red light camera fines with local roads receiving a $3.8 million road safety boost, Minister for Transport and Main Roads, Paul Lucas, announced today.

“Seven Darling Downs projects are among 77 high priority road safety initiatives to share in more than $46 million statewide under the Beattie Government’s Safer Roads Sooner program.

“It puts fines collected from motorists for speed and red light camera offences back into road safety to save lives,” Mr Lucas said.

Safer Roads Sooner funding for Darling Downs and surrounding areas in 2008-09 includes:

·$90,000 in 2008-09 for safety improvements on the Gatton-Esk Road in Esk, Gatton and Laidley shires. Works involve installing signage, improving road markings and removing roadside hazards.

·$600,000 in 2008-09 for safety improvements on the Forest Hill-Fernvale Road in Esk Shire. Works involve sealing shoulders, installing audible edge lines and removing roadside hazards.

·$700,000 in 2008-09 to commence a $1.07m project for safety improvements on the Brisbane Valley Highway, Toogoolawah section in Esk Shire. Works involve sealing shoulders and installing audible edge lines.

·$60,000 in 2007-08 for safety improvements on the Gatton-Laidley Road in Gatton and Laidley shires. Works involve improving signage and road markings.

·$200,000 over two years from 2007-08 for safety improvements on the D'Aguilar Highway in Esk Shire. Works involve resurfacing curves.

·$1m over two years from 2007-08 for safety improvements on Murphy's Creek Road in Crow's Nest Shire. Works involve new road markings, sealing shoulders and removing roadside hazards.

·$1.16m over two years from 2007-08 for safety improvement on Wivenhoe-Somerset Road in Esk Shire. Work involves sealing the shoulders.

261 safety projects in total have been approved since 2005 by the Safer Roads Sooner Ministerial Advisory Committee chaired by Parliamentary secretary for Main Roads, Andrew McNamara.

Professor Mary Sheehan from Queensland University of Technology's accident research group, CARRS-Q and the RACQ are among the committee’s panel of road safety experts and key project decision makers.

“To qualify for a share of the more than $46 million in funding, projects must have clear potential to help reduce the road toll.

“We’ve targeted projects which will make the biggest impact on road safety,” Mr McNamara said.

Mr Lucas said the Safer Roads Sooner strategy aims to reduce Queensland's road toll through smart investment in better road infrastructure.

“The money we receive in fines from motorists who speed and run red lights is being spent where it can do the most good – saving lives and debilitating injuries on Queensland roads.

“We’re putting the proceeds of traffic fines to work on building safer roads.

“It’s a sound investment in the state’s future,” Mr Lucas said