Community
3 October, 2024
Roads left in a sorry state
THE Opposition has slammed the State Government for treating Victorians “like fools” as it cites unseasonable weather for the condition of roads.
Shadow Minister for Roads and Road Safety Danny O’Brien said funding cuts and neglect were the reason for the condition of roads, rather than weather events.
He said state budget papers indicate the area of road subject to resurfacing or rehabilitation has fallen from nine million square metres two years ago to just three million this financial year – and comes after Labor undertook just 343,000 square metres of works in 2023/24.
Mr O’Brien said the roads maintenance budget was 16 per cent less now than it was in 2020 and roads continue to get worse for it.
“Labor can’t manage money and it’s Victorian motorists who are paying the price,” he said.
“Successive years of budget cuts have left our roads in a dire state and reductions in the resurfacing and rehabilitation program will only see our roads get worse in future.
“Re-sealing protects the road network against water penetration that causes potholes and damaged roads.
“By not doing this essential preventive maintenance, Premier Jacinta Allan and Minister Melissa Horne are creating a maintenance time bomb that will explode on Victorians in coming years.”
Mr O’Brien said the independent transport and infrastructure expert, Marion Terrill, put it best by saying “It’s like if you don’t get a filling, you’re going to need an expensive root canal down the line”.
“These figures just highlight the drastic budget cuts that have seen our roads deteriorate dramatically over the past few years to a point where the government’s own survey last year revealed 91 per cent of roads were in poor or very poor condition,” Mr O’Brien said.
“Not surprisingly, the government has confirmed that almost 1200 Victorians have lodged claims for damage caused by dodgy roads last financial year alone.”
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