WALGA will receive new five-year State Road Funds from the state government. Credit: Tamsin Slater.

The Government of Western Australia has signed an agreement with WA Local Government Association (WALGA) to increase the financial assistance for a significant network of roads in the state.

The state government has sanctioned a new five-year State Road Funds to Local Government Agreement, which ensures councils are provided with 20% of total state vehicle licence fee collections.

Subsequently, funding for local roads is set to increase by A$21m ($14.9m) from A$182.3m ($129.9m) in 2018-19 to an estimated A$203.4m ($144.9m) in 2022-23.

However, funding is $150.4m ($107.1m) less than 2015-16.

Additionally, the state government has agreed to provide approximately $260m ($185.2m) in funding to support other works on the local government road network between 2018-19 and 2021-22.

In line with the new agreement, capital assistance will be divided into two categories.

“The local road asset base in WA is worth more than A$25bn ($17.8bn) and forms a critical component of the state’s transport network.”

The programmes managed by the local government will get nearly 66% of annual funding in direct grants, road project grants, state black spot allocations and for strategic and technical support.

The remaining 34% of funding will be given to the main roads managed programmes, which include state initiatives on local roads, bridgeworks and bridge inspections, and remote aboriginal access roads.

Transport minister Rita Saffioti said: “The local road asset base in WA is worth more than A$25bn ($17.8bn) and forms a critical component of the state’s transport network. These roads cover more than 127,000km or 86.5% of all the roads in WA.

“Although the State Road Funds to Local Government Agreement is not the only source of State Government road funding for councils, it is a significant plank in local governments being able to plan for and deliver important road services throughout WA.

“The agreement recognises the need for co-operation and co-ordination between the two tiers of government which have an interest in roads. It will ensure that the most efficient, effective and equitable use can be made of the limited funds available for roads and that the best possible outcomes are achieved.”