News

Roads | February 27, 2019

Kealy continues country roads campaign

The Nationals Member for Lowan, Emma Kealy is continuing her call for Labor to take urgent action to address the dangerous condition of a number of key roads in the Lowan electorate.

Ms Kealy highlighted the Casterton-Apsley and Dunkeld-Cavendish Roads as two high priority roads in need of urgent repair during a speech to Parliament last week.

The Casterton-Apsley Road was the site of a major motor vehicle accident in early 2018, and a fatality in 2017 when a car left the road and crashed into a tree killing the driver at the scene.

“The Casterton-Apsley Road is in terrible condition and after years of lobbying with locals, we are yet to see road repairs that have improved the safety of this road,” Ms Kealy said.

“Recent repairs were absolutely sub-standard and virtually melted and ran down the hill on the first day over 35 degrees.

“I have personally witnessed pothole repairs that I could literally poke my finger into. This just isn’t good enough and the surface will not handle the heavy log trucks that frequent the road every day.

“The Dunkeld-Cavendish Road has to be one of the worst in the state. It handles heavy freight and is an important domestic road.

“It is single lane in some sections with enormous drop-offs on the road shoulders and it is pitted with potholes and rough surfaces. The speed limit changes constantly between 60, 80 and 100km.

“Unfortunately these roads are only two examples of many regional and rural roads in Lowan that need urgent attention.

“The RACV has named western Victoria as having the worst roads in Victoria.

“It is simply not good enough that our roads are so poorly maintained that locals are putting their lives at risk when going about their daily lives doing a job they love, taking the kids to school or going to footy or netball training.

“Lowan residents are sick of shoddy road workmanship and we just want our roads fixed properly to give locals the roads they are entitled to and deserve.

“The new Minister for Roads and Road Safety, who is also the Member for Western Victoria, claims Labor is “getting on with the biggest road maintenance blitz ever – fixing the roads all regional Victorians rely on.”

“Well Lowan residents are sick of waiting for the blitz to reach western Victoria. I am calling on the Minister to take immediate action and fix our local roads properly and save country lives,” she said.