News

Roads | October 30, 2018

Safer country and regional roads save lives - Wimmera

Wimmera residents will benefit from safer roads under a Liberal Nationals plan to invest $1 billion over ten years to fix country roads and save country lives.

If elected, the new Road Fix Blitz program will restore our neglected country and regional roads and see the proper investments made to improve roads before they begin to break down.

The Nationals Member for Lowan, Emma Kealy said roads in the Wimmera were less safe due to city-centric Labor’s neglect of regional Victoria.

“The Premier for Melbourne and Labor’s neglect of our regional roads is putting the lives and safety of local people at risk every day,” Ms Kealy said.

“Reducing the speed limit on dangerous roads or rushed patch jobs just doesn’t cut it. We need real investment and to plan for better roads in the Wimmera.

“Only The Nationals in government will make the investment needed to fix country roads in the Wimmera and save country lives.”

In 2017 there were 156 road fatalities on rural and regional roads accounting for 60.2 per cent of all Victorian road deaths. In the year to date there have been 84 road fatalities in regional Victoria which is just over 50 per cent of fatalities across the state.

As well as boosting funding to fix country roads, an elected Liberal Nationals Government will improve response times for urgent repair works by commissioning a new smartphone app for real-time reporting of road hazards.

Leader of The Nationals and Shadow Minister for Regional Victoria and Decentralisation Peter Walsh said the $1 billion Road Fix Blitz will inject significant funds upfront to fix our country and regional roads properly.

“No more patch-up jobs but proper fixes to get back in control of regional road maintenance,” Mr Walsh said.

“Before the last election Daniel Andrews claimed the East West Link contract wasn’t worth the paper it was written on and that lie cost taxpayers $1.3 billion.

“It’s unforgiveable that Daniel Andrews wasted $1.3 billion that could have been spent on improving the safety of regional roads.”

Funding for the $1 billion Road Fix Blitz will be made up of $400 million for the Country Roads and Bridges program, another $400 million for targeted road restoration and a $200 million boost for general road maintenance.

The Road Fix Blitz program will be in addition to existing road maintenance and restoration initiatives delivered by VicRoads.