The pothole-ridden stretch of road that claimed the life of a Victorian motorcyclist on the weekend was already considered among the 10 most dangerous roads in the state according to a survey from the RACV released today.
The RACV’s My Country Road 2026 report identified the Western Highway between Ballarat and Trawalla as the eighth most dangerous road in the state, well before 71-year-old Ballarat motorcyclist Peter “Tiki” Mason was killed on Sunday after his bike reportedly struck a pothole in that exact stretch of road.
Respondents to the RACV’s survey had cited road surface condition, the need for duplication and speed management as key concerns, with deteriorating roads remaining the number one concern for regional Victorians.
Leader of The Nationals and Shadow Minister for Roads and Road Safety, Danny O’Brien, said the tragedy had been compounded by the fact that the road was a well-known hazardous stretch after years of neglect.
“This was not only a preventable tragedy but it was sadly predicted by many,” Mr O’Brien said.
“Mr Mason’s family and the whole motorcycling community are grieving this week, and they deserve to believe that when a stretch of road is identified as dangerous, it is immediately addressed.”
“A Liberal and Nationals government will invest $5 billion over four years to properly maintain our roads and eliminate a million potholes and put a stop to the neglect our roads and our regions have felt for years under Labor.”
The report, based on feedback from 6,143 respondents who submitted 10,048 requests for road improvements, found 71 per cent of respondents identified potholes and rough surfaces as their biggest road safety concern, up from 64 per cent in 2024.
Nearly three quarters of respondents (73 per cent) nominated resurfacing as their highest priority improvement, ahead of lane duplication (11 per cent) and better signage and line marking (3 per cent).
While road maintenance will be a key focus for a Liberal and Nationals government if elected in November, Mr O’Brien said the government and the Premier had to immediately take responsibility for the state of the roads.
“Ben Carroll’s response to this tragedy is that he is not the Minister for Roads. That is not just unacceptable, but it is also misleading. He was the Minister for Roads for three years as they fell into disrepair and the only thing that changed was his ascent to Premier,” Mr O’Brien said.
“The Carroll Labor Government has had years to fix these roads and instead we have watched them crumble further, while regional Victorians pay the price with damaged cars, expensive repairs and now, tragically, with lives.”
