Local roads that take regional Victorians home and to school, work and the shops will be improved under a $288 million investment in a new Country Roads and Bridges program by the Liberals and Nationals.
Under this commitment each of Victoria’s 48 rural and regional councils will receive $1.5 million every year for four years in untied funding for local roads and bridge upgrades, improving local roads and putting downward pressure on rates at a time when cost-of-living is biting.
This announcement is in addition to the Liberals and Nationals’ recent pledge to invest $5 billion to repair and rebuild Victoria’s roads, eliminate one million potholes and re-establish a proper, planned system of preventative road maintenance.
Shadow Minister for Local Government, Bev McArthur made the announcement today at the Rural Councils Victoria Conference.
“Having travelled across the vast majority of Victoria’s rural shires and regional cities, I have seen firsthand the urgent need for more investment in local roads and bridges,” Ms McArthur said.
“The Liberals and Nationals have listened and a Wilson-led Government will help councils get the basics right across rural and regional Victoria.”
The program will provide councils with funding certainty and allow local government to determine which road and bridge projects are the highest priority in their communities, rather than forcing councils to compete for limited funding through a grants process.
“The previous Liberal and Nationals Government’s Country Roads and Bridges Program gave councils the funding certainty to plan and deliver local infrastructure works their communities rely on,” Ms McArthur said.
“Labor abolished this important program in 2015 and has refused to restore it, despite a clear recommendation from the Parliamentary Inquiry into Local Government Funding and Services.”
Leader of The Nationals and Shadow Minister for Roads and Roads Safety, Danny O’Brien, said the announcement was another example of the Liberals and Nationals’ commitment to provide a fair share for regional Victoria.
“Regional Victorians have had enough of driving around on neglected roads and a Liberals and Nationals government will make it a priority to get our roads back up to scratch,” Mr O’Brien said.
“Our state roads will be addressed through our $5 billion plan while the Country Roads and Bridges program will help us improve local council roads in your community while reducing pressure on council rates.
“A Liberal and Nationals Government will deliver a fair share for regional Victorians and deliver safer roads and bridges to make life easier for regional Victorians and businesses.”
