State member for Shepparton Kim O’Keeffe has called on Victorian Treasurer Tim Pallas to fund urgently needed road repairs in the May budget.
“The state of our roads has been deteriorating dramatically, with cuts to the roads maintenance budget totalling 45 per cent since 2020,” Ms O’Keeffe said in parliament on Wednesday, March 20.
“Victoria is experiencing its highest road toll in 15 years, with a significant number of these tragedies occurring in Regional Victoria.
“Without substantial investment in road repairs and improvements to ensure safer roads, the number of lives lost on our roads is likely to increase further.”
Ms O’Keeffe also highlighted the economic ramifications of the current state of regional roads.
“Our second-rate road infrastructure is hampering the ability to efficiently transport produce,” she said.
“Vehicles are getting damaged, costing businesses thousands of dollars a month, in addition to out-of-pocket expenses for constituents, which they cannot afford during a cost-of-living crisis.”
Recent reports, including a finding by the National Transport Research Organisation, revealed that 91 per cent of Victorian roads were rated as “poor or very poor”.
“Rather than seeing repairs, the crumbling roads are subjected to speed limit reductions or warnings,” Ms O’Keeffe said.
“Our community deserves safe, reliable roads to support not only daily travel but also the vital economic activities of our region.
“I call on the treasurer to recognise the critical state of our roads and ensure the May budget adequately addresses the need for substantial funding towards road repair and road maintenance.”