ACRS welcomes AusRAP NSW map as a vital tool for safer roads
The Australasian College of Road Safety (ACRS) has welcomed the release of the new interactive AusRAP NSW map, which provides safety star ratings for more than 20,000 km of state and 15,000 km of regional roads.
ACRS Chief Executive Officer, Dr Ingrid Johnston, said the map was a significant step forward in evidence-based road safety decision-making.
“This map is a valuable tool that will help ensure investments in road infrastructure are targeted where they will have the greatest impact in reducing death and serious injury on our roads,” Dr Johnston said.
“It also provides the public with information about the safety of the roads they are travelling on, enabling them to make informed choices about their routes based on safety,” Dr Johnston said.
The AusRAP results show that more than 71 per cent of travel on state roads in NSW occurs on roads rated three stars or higher, indicating that NSW is on track to meet the national target of 80 per cent by 2030.
“It is encouraging to see NSW leading the way by publishing this data and including regional roads in the assessment. Transparency and data sharing are critical to ensuring safety upgrades are prioritised for roads with the highest risk and traffic volumes,” Dr Johnston said.
The new map highlights both the progress made and the opportunities for further improvement. While most state roads are rated three stars, only a small proportion achieve the highest five-star rating, and 23.5 per cent of travel occurs on two-star roads.
“Lifting roads from one or two stars to three stars or above is one of the most effective ways to reduce serious injuries and deaths. Installing features such as roadside barriers, divided carriageways, wider shoulders and lowering speed limits, can significantly reduce crash risk,” Dr Johnston said.
ACRS NSW Chapter Chair Michael Timms said the map would also serve as a vital baseline for ongoing improvements. “These assessments have been made over a period of 10 years and represent a baseline on which improvements to the road network can be made. Near the Western Sydney airport precinct and the Macarthur region, for example, road infrastructure improvements and population increases are rapidly occurring. We expect to see the interactive map regularly updated as further road assessments are undertaken,” Mr Timms said.
Dr Johnston emphasised that road safety investment must continue to be guided by evidence.
“We know that targeted infrastructure upgrades save lives. The release of this map is a welcome demonstration of the NSW Government’s commitment to data-driven decision-making and fair investment across the road network,” she said.
“We look forward to seeing other states and territories follow NSW’s lead in publishing AusRAP data, as this will support national collaboration towards our shared goal of zero deaths and serious injuries on Australian roads by 2050.”
Read here why three-star or better road design is needed now across Australia
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