The Australian Government is committed to finding better ways to improve the safety of level crossings in the regions.
We are committed to working with State, Territory and local Governments as well as industry to achieve the goal of zero harm at level crossings.
The ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ Level Crossing roundtable has provided an opportunity to bring people together and continue discussions about priorities and consistency of approach to improving safety.
As part of the action the Albanese Government is already taking, applications for Round Two of the Level Crossing Safety Research and Innovation Grants are now open.
The grants, which are a component of the Regional Australia Level Crossing Safety Program, aim to fund and support:
Research and investigation of new technologies and approaches to improve level crossing safety, and
Trials of innovative and lower-cost level crossing safety improvements, or better train illumination and visibility.
The results of the trials will be shared with governments and the rail industry to inform ongoing activities under the ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ Level Crossing Safety Strategy.
Six projects were funded under Round One of the grants, which saw a total of $2.8 million in funding provided to successful recipients. The projects are looking to trial a range of technologies, including rumble strips and flashing posts, train visibility, solar powered wireless technology and data monitoring.
The Government is also spending $160 million under the Regional Level Crossing Upgrade Fund from 2023-24 to 2026-27 for up to 50 per cent of the cost of delivering priority level crossing upgrades.
Applications for Round Two of the Research and Innovation Grants will close on Friday 5 April 2024.
