Cattle Underpass Scheme (CUPS)
Applications close on 8 September 2023
If you are, (or know) a producer who would benefit from an underpass or warning signs and lights on farm, now is the time to submit applications in order to be considered for approvals. Download the Cattle Underpass Scheme Guidelines
Round 1 of the NSW Cattle Underpass Scheme (CUPS) provided grants to farmers as a financial contribution towards the cost of constructing underpasses beneath public roads to allow cattle to move safely from paddock to paddock or to facilities.
Scheme overview
Round 2 of the NSW Cattle Underpass Scheme (CUPS) supports NSW dairy farmers to construct underpasses, or cattle crossing warning flashing lights and signs, to reduce the risk to motorists, livestock and producers from regular livestock movements across public roads to facilities such as dairies.
The CUPS aims to achieve the following outcomes:
- Reduced risk of fatalities and injuries due to vehicles colliding with farmers, farm employees and cattle at crossing sites
- Reduced risk of near misses where vehicles swerve or brake to avoid colliding with farmers, farm employees and cattle at crossing sites
- Reduced traffic delays for commuters, freight vehicles and tourists at cattle crossing sites
- Improved productivity, profitability, health and welfare for farmers, their employees and their cattle
Round 2 of the NSW Cattle Underpass Scheme (CUPS) will provide grants to NSW dairy farm businesses for half (50 percent) of the cost of an underpass, up to a maximum of $100,000 plus GST or for half (50 percent) of the cost of the purchase and installation of cattle crossing warning flashing lights and signs, up to a maximum of $20,000 plus GST. The farmer will be responsible for the remaining cost. The total amount available for CUPS Round 2 is $2 million and grants will be awarded on a first come, first served basis.
For dairy producers located in any local government area in NSW that had access to Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA) since January 2019, up to 70 percent of the cost of underpass or cattle crossing warning flashing lights and signs will be provided to successful submissions, up to the same maximum amounts respectively. The farmer will be responsible for the remaining cost.
For both underpasses and warning flashing lights and signs, the design, planning approvals and certification, construction and traffic management during construction, will be the responsibility of the applicant (i.e. the farmer), their contractor and the relevant road manager*.
The application period for NSW CUPS Round 2 opened in January 2023 and will close on Friday 8 September 2023. The first rounds of applications have already been assessed and eligible applications will be assessed in the order in which they are received.
NSW CUPS is a joint initiative of NSW Department of Primary Industries (NSW DPI) and Transport for NSW (TfNSW).
An assessment panel with representatives from NSW DPI and TfNSW will review applications to determine eligibility.
The grant for a successful application will be paid to the contractor after the underpass has been constructed and certified, or after the warning flashing lights and signs have been installed and certified.
Note: for the purpose of the CUPS, a ‘farm’ refers to the property that will be connected by the proposed underpass. If the underpass connects two different properties, the applicant should ensure that the eligibility criteria are met for both properties. For example, if the properties on either side of the road are owned by different people, the application should show that the owners of both properties have given permission for an underpass to be built.
Technical information
For further technical information, go to Cattle underpass scheme (CUPS) | Transport for NSW.
Contractors should note there is no requirement to login and create an account to the NSW Transport Standards Portal to access the documents within the link below, but by doing so you will receive notifications by email of upcoming updates to any saved standards. You can save standards to favourites and access your curated list of standards within your account.
