Feedback on the state of Victorian roads

Dear Greg

I agree wholeheartedly with your comments in the Wangaratta Watchdog, 27 January 2006 in which you point out that "The Whitfield Road is only the tip of the iceberg".

There is a fundamental problem of chronic underfunding of country roads and bridges.

The Victorian Nationals' solution for this is to allocate 1% of the GST (currently about $80m pa) to go direct to country councils for country roads as has been done with the highly successful Federal Government Roads to Recovery Program.

I enclose The Victorian Nationals Plan for Local Government which provides further information on the proposal.

Bill Sykes MP, State Member for Benalla
Ph: 03 5762 2100 Fx: 03 5762 4478 Mobile: 0427 624 989
Email: bill.sykes@parliament.vic.gov.au

It is encouraging to know that our State Member of Parliament is aware of the local road conditions and that he will raise the issue with the Minister for Transport, Peter Batchelor. It is also encouraging to read the Victorian Nationals Plan for Local Government, a policy that could overcome many rural infrastructure problems.

We should remember that there will be State elections in November and that it is likely that we will get a variety of Government members visiting the area in their election campaign.

To make these people aware of our lousy road conditions, we should ensure that they are driven over some of the worst roadways in the municipality to make a point.


Whitfield Road repairs under way
1 February 2006

Since going public with the state of the Whitfield Road, we have had a couple of weeks of hot weather. With temperatures soaring over 40 degrees C melting the bitumen, the timber trucks thundering down the road have broken up the surface and pushed up mounds of roadway high enough to hit the bottom of your car.

Vicroads are now doing major repair works on the Whitfield Road at King Valley, excavating down to half a metre to repair the affected areas. It just shows what can happen when your local polititions get involved. Well done Bill!