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Tim Bull warns that roads will deteriorate as 91% are 'poor,' blaming severe funding cuts for worsening conditions

Tim Bull warns that roads will worsen as 91% are rated 'poor' or 'very poor.' He criticised funding cuts, claiming they exacerbate conditions, with repairs down 96% and maintenance funding slashed.

By news@gippsland - 23rd July 2024 - Back to News

It is hard to believe our roads can get any worse - but they will - there is no other possible outcome, according to Nationals Member for Gippsland East, Tim Bull. He said the state government's own assessment found a staggering 91 per cent of our roads are in 'poor or very poor' condition. So, did Jacinta Allan respond to this revelation?

Roads Minister Melissa Horne reported an 81% cut in resurfacing funds, from $201.4M to $37.6M, worsening road conditions. Maintenance funding also dropped 45% since 2020

Roads funding slashed

Mr Bull said, "Figures released by Roads Minister, Melissa Horne, show resurfacing spending dropped from $201.4 million in 2022/23 to $37.6 million in 2023/24. This 81 per cent cut in funding to resurface roads on top of their already poor condition, can only ever end one way - even worse conditions. In addition, road maintenance funding (the money used to fill potholes and make temporary repairs) is less than it was in 2020 after a 45 per cent cut in that year."

Mr Bull said Australian Community Media, which completed some additional research, revealed repairs dropped from more than nine million square metres in 2022/23 to just 343,000 square metres in 2023/24 - a 96 percent decrease.

"Some of this can be attributed to the northern Victorian flood response, but with a raft of signs on our roads warning us to slow down due to a 'rough surface ahead' or 'road hazard ahead', the funding needed to be sustained rather than obliterated. Interestingly, in the state's own survey, not one road was listed as 'good' or 'very good', with the remaining nine per cent only listed as 'fair'," he said.

Labor mismanages infrastructure

The National Transport Research Organisation (NTRO) conducted the survey for the Department of Transport across the state's road network. Mr Bull said the survey was undertaken using the NTRO's iPAVE technology and was spruiked by the Labor government in January last year as 'world-first', despite having been used by other states for years.

"The state has argued that unprecedented wet weather is a contributor, but this is not accurate and a poor excuse. The survey listed only 707 km as flood affected and, apart from the northern Victorian floods, Bureau data shows the weather has been largely average over recent years. The real reason is simply this. Labor can't manage money, can't manage projects and it's Victorian motorists who are paying the price."

"The roads budget has been decimated to service an increasing debt ($25m per day in interest alone) and build a rail line worth $220 billion in Melbourne that we were told would cost $50 billion. Only the Liberals and Nationals will provide the investment our country's roads need, as committed to the last election with a promise of $10 billion over 10 years," he said.

Pictures from Tim Bull MP website.

Source: www.gippsland.com

Published by: news@gippsland.com