Saturday 9 November 2024
New data from the State Government has revealed Labor’s astonishing neglect of our roads, with the area of road maintenance undertaken falling by a whopping 95 per cent.
Data published in the Department of Transport and Planning annual report shows the area of road “rehabilitated or resurfaced” in regional Victoria fell to just 422,000 square metres in 2023/24, down from 9 million the year before and 11.5 million in the prior year.
There were also dramatic falls in inner and outer suburban Melbourne.
As well as cutting funds for maintenance, the Government is even failing to complete projects on time that it is undertaking.
Only 39 per cent of metropolitan and 69 per cent of regional projects finished on time.
Shadow Minister for Roads and Road Safety, Danny O’Brien said Labor’s cuts had taken a massive toll on the state of our roads.
“Labor can’t manage money and it’s our roads and Victorian motorists that are paying the price,” Mr O’Brien said.
“A 95 per cent reduction in essential maintenance is just going to mean our already bad roads will get worse.
“Victorians are already putting up with dodgy roads wherever they drive – regional Victoria, the suburbs and even some of our freeways.
“The Government’s own survey last year found 91 per cent of the roads it surveyed were in poor or very poor condition – something all Victorian motorists are well aware of.”
Mr O’Brien said he is aware of Victorian road crews having to travel thousands of kilometres interstate and others being laid off due to the lack of work in Victoria.
“It’s astonishing that our own workers are travelling over 2000 kilometres to far north Queensland when our own roads are so bad,” Mr O’Brien.
“Why aren’t they getting work here to fix our appalling roads?”