A report from technical services director Chris Schumacher said as a result of the recent success of a Saving Lives on Country Roads grant to improve safety on Abercrombie Road, the purchase of new guardrail materials - including installation by a suitably qualified contractor - would be required.

It is anticipated that with the amount of safety barrier required the contract cost may exceed $150,000.

In February this year, Transport for NSW (TfNSW) - through the NSW State Government - awarded Oberon Council funding of $1,965,000 as per Stage 2 of the NSW Safer Roads Program.

Council's application was successful on the basis of the accident history associated with the Abercrombie Road.

The total funding has been provided across two separate financial years - $1,615,000 in 2020/2021 and $350,000 in 2021/2022 - to upgrade and improve road safety on the Abercrombie Road from Porters Retreat to near Paling Yards.

Mr Schumacher's report said in the last five years there have been no fewer than 50 recorded road crashes on Abercrombie Road, including one fatality.

"Country people represent a third of the population but attribute to nearly 70 per cent of the road toll. Tragically you are four times more likely to die on a country road than in metropolitan areas, this is a horrific statistic," the report states.

The safety upgrade project will include the installation of a semi-rigid roadside barrier, installation of new curve and advisory speed signs, upgrade bitumen seal to high level non-skid surface, and install audio tactile line marking.

The funding is tied to a conditional schedule which requires council to acquit the project preferably by no later then May 2021.

It is expected that the installation of the new safety barrier will commence in during November/December 2020 with completion scheduled by the second quarter of 2021.