State Member for Western Victoria, Gayle Tierney is today calling on local motorists to nominate roads that have become dangerous, fallen into disrepair and need fixing with the launch of www.FixOurRoads.com.au website.
Ms Tierney said Labor was launching www.FixOurRoads.com.au because new analysis of VicRoads documents shows the Napthine Government is short-changing families and businesses when it comes to making local roads safe.
Ms Tierney said the South Western VicRoads region has seen the largest funding cut of all regions with funding decreasing by $37.3 million, or 37.6 per cent.
Ms Tierney said all seven VicRoads regions had less funding for roads in 2012-13 than the previous financial year with a combined cut of more than $160 million across the state.
“The total of Napthine Government funding for maintenance and new roads has fallen in Western Victoria from 2011-12 to 2012-13,” Ms Tierney said.
“The Premier and Minister for Roads, Terry Mulder represent electorates in Western Victoria, yet our region has experienced the biggest funding cut of all seven regions in the state by far.
“Denis Napthine is cutting funds to every road in every part of Victoria, and in Western Victoria local motorists are copping the full brunt of these cuts.
“Our local roads are falling into disrepair and becoming a safety hazard for motorists because of these Napthine Government funding cuts.
“Road resurfacing targets in the South Western VicRoads Region have been cut by the Napthine Government by 60 Per Cent”
Ms Tierney said the Opposition’s campaign will allow Western Victoria motorists to tell Labor which roads have been neglected and forgotten by the Napthine Government and are in serious need of repair or an upgrade.
“Victorians deserve better than a Government that won’t provide the basic infrastructure people in Western Victoria need to ensure travel times are effective for business and therefore a strong local economy,” Ms Tierney said.
“Safety on our roads is not just about driver behaviour but also the quality of our roads which must be safe to drive on.
“Instead of fixing local roads Denis Napthine is spending $8 billion on a dud tunnel that no one voted for.
“You can’t fix crumbling roads or build new ones when the transport budget is going to one project at the expense of our local roads.”