General News
24 October, 2022
Opposition announces road revival plan
The Liberal-National Coalition have announced their plans to re-establish the Country Roads and Bridges Program, supporting councils to better repair and rebuild local roads. Under the Coalition’s $288 million plan to revive the program, local...
The Liberal-National Coalition have announced their plans to re-establish the Country Roads and Bridges Program, supporting councils to better repair and rebuild local roads.
Under the Coalition’s $288 million plan to revive the program, local government areas, including Central Goldfields Shire, would be eligible for grants of up to $1.5 million each year if the coalition are elected to government in November.
The return of the program would mean regional Victorian motorists would have smoother and safer roads after the program was cut by the Labor Government in 2014, according to the Opposition.Shadow Minister for Roads, Danny O’Brien, said local road maintenance was one of the largest cost burdens for local government.
“This additional $1.5 million a year will provide a major boost to rural councils, some of which have to maintain thousands of kilo-metres of roads and bridges which are more than a century old,” he said.
“This funding certainty means we’ll have road repairs that last, and councils will be able to plan for long-term maintenance of vital infrastructure.
“It also helps alleviate the capital costs faced by councils, placing downward pressure on rates.”
The Opposition’s commitment to reintroducing the Country Roads and Bridges Program comes on top of the Coalition’s $10 billion commitment over 10 years to properly fund the state’s road maintenance.
Member for Ripon Louise Staley was in Talbot last week to discuss the Opposition’s plans to reinstate the program, which she said would be a benefit to the Central Gold-fields Shire Council and the more than 500 kilometres of sealed roads it maintains.
“Local government areas covering Ripon will be big winners from this pledge. Over the next four years, an additional $54 million will be provided across Ripon to repair local roads,” she said.
“Combined with the additional $10 billion to repair VicRoads roads, this local roads program will make a meaningful difference to our roads after years of neglect by Labor.
“The Country Roads and Bridges Program is in addition to any federal or state flood recovery money that will repair local roads damaged from the recent floods.”