Bad Roads Lead To Big Bills
A major trucking company has revealed that the appalling state of roads in Victoria’s south west costs the company 20 per cent more in fleet maintenance than anywhere else in Australia.
The disgraceful situation has been clearly laid out in the Victorian Parliament by the Liberal Member for Western Victoria, Bev McArthur.
“This is entirely due to the rough and dangerous surfaces,“ Mrs McArthur said.
Mrs McArthur cited the example of a particular stretch of road in the south west of her electorate to highlight the need for urgent action.
The Commonwealth Government has provided $60 million for the Princes Highway Strategy, a project to upgrade the notorious stretch of road between Warrnambool and Port Fairy. It is used by 14,000 vehicles a day.
“It is in urgent need of repair. As part of its funding arrangement, the Commonwealth requested a 20 per cent contribution from the State Government in May 2019.
“The state government needs to meet its obligations as this is primarily a road of state responsibility”.
She has asked the State Treasurer to address the dire problem in the 2020-21 Budget.
Already months behind, the delay in the Victorian Budget also delays responding to the road crisis.
“Will the state government commit to matching the Federal Government’s huge support for road projects in Western Victoria, especially this road, in the forthcoming state budget”? she asked.
“This Government has already proven reckless enough with Victorian lives this year. 800 people have died directly because of its failings with quarantine and contact tracing.
“While it can’t be honest to an Inquiry, this Government should be honest with Victorians – and own up to its road safety responsibilities across Western Victoria.
“It needs to pay up – and get the Princes Highway Corridor upgrade done.
In the 2019-20 Budget, the Government announced a further $6.6 billion for the level crossing removal program, aimed at 75 crossings by 2025.
“43 have been removed to date – which means billions more will be invested into Melbourne rail and road infrastructure to achieve this goal alone.
“The now $6.7 billion West Gate Tunnel is another city-obsessed project.
“Regional Victorians – those beyond the tram tracks of Melbourne – just want some of that money for the basic right to safe country roads.
“They don’t need flashing lights or mega-advertising campaigns – they just want safe roads so they can run their businesses economically.
“More importantly, they want safe roads for their families so that no more lives are lost due to Government negligence”.
“This Budget demands an end to the reckless attitude to the rights and safety of regional Victorians”.
12 November 2020