Country councils like Narrabri Shire will now be able to apply for funds to upgrade their rough, potholed, ‘forgotten roads’ thanks to a new $150 million federal government package.
The special roads funding is specifically designed to bring basic improvements to dangerous, wet weather untrafficable and otherwise neglected bush roads which have been on local councils’ backburner for decades because of lack of funding.
“We are not talking about sealing programs, we’re are talking about bringing these forgotten roads up to a better standard,” said Member for Parkes Mark Coulton, announcing the new program jointly with acting Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce near Moree on Monday.
“People will be able to nominate the historically bad spots on critical rural and regional roads and talk to their council which can take the claim to the government’s new Remote Roads Upgrade Pilot Program.”
The trial program will target unsealed roads throughout remote Australia, many of which haven’t been upgraded since the Great Depression.
“This is a program the Nationals believe in,” said Mr Joyce.
“These are the roads issues that people in cities just could not relate to.”
Councils will be offered between 80 per cent and 100 per cent of funding to upgrade unsealed roads and improve safety with works including resurfacing, removing dangerous corners and managing vegetation.
Mr Coulton said the program would make a real difference to communities in the Parkes electorate, with the funding to be used to upgrade key rural roads to improve local access, address safety risks and support flow-on economic development.
“The government recognises local government bears the brunt of the often significant costs of upgrading rural and regional roads, and we are stepping in to back councils to undertake crucial works,” Mr Coulton said.
“We will partner with local government to deliver this funding and address many neglected roads that most people don’t see, ensuring our regional communities get the safe and efficient road connections they deserve.
“Everyone should have access to local community centres, including schools and medical care, and nobody should be cut off from their township because of the condition of the roads.”
“This is not about sealing roads; it is about making them safer,” said Mr Joyce.
“It is about putting down gravel to stop parents getting bogged in the rain when they drive their kids to school, it is about removing dangerous corners.
“This new funding will support our existing record investment under the government’s 10-year, $110 billion nationwide infrastructure plan.”
See more from Mark Coulton and Barnaby Joyce:
- Newell Highway project tenders open
- Rail agreements progress
- Coulton disappointed at leadership change, returned to the backbench
