The Victorian Government and crossbench have rejected an inquiry into the condition of the state’s roads, particularly in rural and regional Victoria.
Nationals State Member for Euroa Annabelle Cleeland said the motion would look into road construction, repair, maintenance and road safety at a time when it was most needed.
“Road maintenance funding has decreased from $702.2 million to just $441.6 million in the last year alone, despite the dire state of Victoria's regional road network,” Ms Cleeland said.
However, a state government spokesperson said the average annual expenditure on road asset management since the 2018 election was $853 million, well over the $493 million average of the former Coalition government.
“The Victorian Budget 2023-24 is delivering an extra $2.8 billion in road maintenance over 10 years to ensure motorists can keep moving safely — meaning at least $6.6 billion will be invested in road asset management on Victoria’s road network over the next decade,” the spokesperson said.
“We are investing $770 million in maintaining Victorian roads in 2023-24 — far exceeding the yearly average of $493 million under the previous Coalition government.”
Ms Cleeland said that roads in regional Victoria were still in desperate need of attention and an inquiry would chart a way forward to improve road surface quality and lifespan.
“The road toll continues to rise, with far more deaths on our roads than previous years,” Ms Cleeland said.
“We should be doing what we can to help prevent this issue, and it starts with the quality and safety of our roads.”
Local member for Ovens Valley Tim McCurdy echoed Ms Cleeland’s comments.
“The government continues to rip the funding out of regional road maintenance, and we are seeing the results. Our roads are unsafe, and even ‘uncar’ worthy,” Mr McCurdy said.
“The government cannot expect the road toll to go down when too many country roads are left with massive potholes causing drivers to swerve and play Russian roulette with other drivers.
“The longer this goes on unaddressed, the greater chance of a catastrophic collision occurring. This vote is yet another slap in the face to regional Victorians.”
Rural Councils Victoria Chair Cr Mary-Ann Brown is concerned that much of the investment in the crumbling Victorian rural roads network comes with the caveat that it ‘may be subject to the Commonwealth Infrastructure Investment Program review’.
“We are carefully watching the outcome of the Commonwealth Infrastructure Investment program review,” Cr Brown said.
“Rural communities need roads and infrastructure that meets their needs and supports them to grow and thrive.
“It is disappointing that the expected outcome for the road maintenance target in 2022-2023 is more than 29 per cent lower than anticipated.
“We note the budget papers reasoning that the reduction from 12,140,000 square metres of repairs to just 8,570,000 square metres is ‘due to increased costs arising from market price escalation’.
“Rural councils are acutely aware of the cost pressures facing road and other infrastructure maintenance and the devastating effects of natural disasters and heavy rainfall.
“Now the government is experiencing what many rural councils have been grappling with for years we hope that in future there is further funding to address these issues so rural communities, tourists and hauliers can have safe and well-maintained roads.
“Good quality roads save lives. There are proportionally more deaths on Victoria’s rural and regional roads than in metro areas and safer roads are essential to changing that.”
Across the river the situation is no better with Federation Council Mayor Pat Bourke saying the problem councils are experiencing locally with road repairs is Australia-wide and the costs are enormous.
“The cost of road repair is absolutely enormous and we can’t finance it all through our rates – we have to have to rely on Commonwealth and State Government funding to deliver,” he said.
Mayor Bourke exampled the substantial costs of repairing roads “Sealed roads are $300,000 per kilometre, it’s $60,000 to $80,000 gravel roads – it is absolutely enormous,” he said.
“Federation Council, compared to other like-size councils, has 600 kilometres more road structure and there’s also a diverse farming component – we have to ensure we have proper access roads to farming properties and to farm delivery sites.”
Local roads complete repair a “long term project” - VicRoads
While drivers are reporting damage to their vehicles caused by the deteriorating condition of district roads the government is planning “long-term, large-scale repairs” to key roads.
The Yarrawonga Chronicle has found dozens of examples of deep potholes on VicRoads managed roads such as the Murray Valley highway and Yarrawonga-Benalla Road but it appears a permanent fix will be later rather than sooner.
Department of Transport and Planning regional director for Hume Steve Bowmaker said like much of regional Victoria, roads across the state’s north were severely impacted by flooding and extreme rainfall in late 2022.
“We’re continuing to deliver long-term, large-scale repairs to our most badly flood-damaged roads, along with key freight and travel routes (such as the Murray Valley Highway),” Mr Bowmaker said.
Mr Bowmaker reiterated that $2.8 billion would be invested over 10 years, including $770 million into maintaining Victoria’s road assets, helping to rebuild and repair the road network, on top of the $165 million emergency road repair blitz announced following the October/November floods.
“Since November, our focus has shifted from short-term fixes and warning signage to permanent repairs on the network, with major traffic and freight routes being prioritised,” Mr Bowmaker said.
“Our major patching program continues and we will continue our maintenance program with a combination of short- and long-term repairs.”