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Roads maintenance cut, while reducing country speed limits ‘disappointing’
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Roads maintenance cut, while reducing country speed limits ‘disappointing’

ews the Labor Government intends to reduce speed limits on country roads rather than restore its cuts to roads asset management funding is disappointing, according to Gippsland East Nationals MP, Tim Bull.

“Clearly there is strong bipartisan support to tackle our road toll that is too high, but it is of concern the Premier has said the plan involves lowering speeds on country roads, while at the same time cutting funding in this area,” Mr Bull said.

“The reality is Labor’s own Budget papers show massive cuts to road asset management funding in recent years.

“In the Coalition’s final year of government, it included $486.4 million in road asset management, which was reduced to $419m in Labor’s first year, a reduction of 13.7%.

“The recent budget showed a slight forecast increase, but it remains a 9.4% cut on the level of funding provided in 2014/15.

“In an area where funding needed to continue to increase to improve our roads, we have it significantly cut, while the Government says it is going to reduce speed limits.

“To cap things off, this is also happening at a time when it is skiting about the surplus it has from tax increases. There is no good reason why our roads funding should not be at least maintained.

“Reducing speed limits, while cutting roads funding, does not add up and will not be accepted by country motorists.

“If there is a good reason to reduce a speed limit on a particular road, that is by all means something that should be looked at, but this announcement that speeds will be reduced on a range of country roads while funding for these roads has been the subject of a major cut is not on,” Mr Bull said.

Caption: Nationals Member for Gippsland East, Tim Bull, says maintenance on country roads should come ahead of reduced speed limits.