Council
24 October, 2024
Road funding welcomed, but more needed
THE Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) has welcomed the Victorian Government’s $675 million regional roads maintenance blitz, but says more needed to be done to restore roads which are “absolute death traps”.
The Victorian Government recently announced a $964 million road maintenance blitz to be carried out over the coming months, with $675 million to be invested in regional areas, but the announcement has not been received well by the VFF.
VFF president Emma Germano urged the government to “get on with the job” and called for new, long-term regional roads focused funding to fix Victoria’s “dilapidated road network”.
“Anyone driving in regional Victoria knows our roads are a crumbling mess and, in some areas, absolute death traps,” she said.
“This funding was announced during May’s State Budget.
“While it’s welcome, the government needs to urgently get on with the job of fixing our atrocious regional road network.
“We need less talking and more doing. There’s no time to waste as our roads crumble around us.”
Ms Germano said the condition of roads was not only a danger to drivers, but was costing the state millions in lost productivity.
“Action speaks louder than words and we can’t afford to wait any longer,” she said.
“We never should have been in this position in the first place.
“The VFF has long been calling for a sustained regional road funding plan to ensure our roads are maintained to a basic standard.
“Maintaining our roads is a much safer, efficient and overall less costly strategy than what we find ourselves facing at the moment.”
Ms Germano added the current review of Victoria’s Freight Strategy provides an opportunity for the Victorian Government to develop a long-term plan to maintain and improve our roads.
“Our regional road network is the vital link that connects our regions to critical export markets around the world via our port and airports,” she said.
“Now is the time for the government to deliver a modern and efficient freight network.
“We shouldn’t have to make do with a network that puts a handbrake on our sector and we absolutely will not accept dangerous roads.”
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