The Allan Labor government has announced more road upgrades for communities that 'need them most', by funding councils to help boost safety and reduce road trauma.

Minister for Roads and Road Safety Melissa Horne announced on Tuesday 30 September that the second expression-of-interest stage of the four-year $210 million Safe Local Roads and Street Program is now open to all 79 local councils across the state.

With almost $25 million in funding available and more than 200 projects approved so far, councils can apply for grants of up to $2million for additional projects to develop, design, and deliver critical safety upgrades on local roads, intersections, and precincts.

Successful applications will be determined, based on merit, to deliver targeted road safety upgrades across the state.

Local governments manage 87 per cent of Victoria’s roads.

The program has been bolstered by the 2025/26 $976million road maintenance 'blitz' – with 70 per cent of all the funding going towards regional roads.

However, Member for Euroa Annabelle Cleeland said locals were still 'at risk' as road safety continued to deteriorate, as she renewed calls to address the worsening state of local roadside safety infrastructure, pointing to budget cuts as a major factor behind the decline.

“From Broadford through to Benalla, people are telling me about wire rope barriers sitting broken on the side of the Hume for months on end,” Ms Cleeland said.

“These barriers are supposed to save lives – yet instead they’re being left to rot, leaving motorists exposed to unnecessary risk.

“On top of that, potholes and crumbling roadsides continue to decay across the entire region – damaging vehicles and putting drivers at risk.”

Transport Accident Commission (TAC) acting CEO Jacqui Sampson said the new funding would make everyday journeys safer for regional Victorians.

“Local streets are highly used infrastructure where people travel to work, where children walk to school, and where communities come together," Ms Sampson said.

“We’re supporting councils right across the state to deliver life-saving infrastructure upgrades...in the areas that need it most.”

Ms Cleeland’s concerns followed new data from Transport for Victoria that showed a quarter of the state’s major roads have been given the lowest possible safety rating and said the rising number of lives lost on regional roads this year showed the government’s failing priorities for country communities.

“In 2025, we’ve already seen a jump of 10 per cent in the number of lives lost on regional roads,” she said.

“Instead of investing in safety, Labor has stripped more than $1.1 billion from the TAC, taking money that should have gone back into road upgrades."