News

Roads | June 08, 2021

Fix our roads, don’t lower the speed limit

The Andrews Labor Government is continuing its program of reducing speed limits on country roads, with permanent 80km/h speed restrictions signs being erected on the Wimmera Highway at Vectis.

The Nationals Member for Lowan, Emma Kealy is outraged that Labor is pursuing its slash speed limit policy, instead of listening to community calls to fix them.

“Labor thinks it is acceptable to permanently lower the speed limit on a busy highway, rather than spending the money needed to fix the road,” Ms Kealy said.

“Lower speed limits wouldn’t fix potholes and road hazards on our country roads.

“The Wimmera Highway connects us with South Australia and is one of the major highways in the Lowan electorate with approximately 1,100 vehicles per day, including 180 commercial vehicles, passing through Natimuk each day.

“Traffic travel through much of South Australia with a 110km/h speed limit and are then confronted by an 80km/h limit when they arrive in Victoria.

“Not only does lowering speed limits increase the amount of time people are away from home it also has huge implications on the productivity of our regional businesses.

“This is band-aid policy which fails to address the underlying safety issues on our country roads including potholed surfaces, narrow roads and steep drop offs on roadside edges.”

Ms Kealy said the action follows a 23% cut to rural roads funding by Labor in the 2021/22 budget.

“We have already seen Labor reduce speed limits along various sections of a number of roads in our electorate rather than making the investment to maintain them to a safe standard,” she said.

“Despite this, Daniel Andrews has found billions to put into cost blowouts on major road and infrastructure projects in Melbourne.

“Improved road surfaces, increasing safety features on high-risk sections of roads where accidents are happening and increased driver education is required to address our rising road toll, not simply slowing people down.

“Country people want their roads fixed – they don’t want to be slowed down.

“Once again, Daniel Andrews is showing he just doesn’t care about country Victorians.”