Funding divide over Link Road

A SIXTY-million-dollar election pledge by the State Opposition to extend the Ballarat Link Road has drawn the Government’s ire with the roads minister saying it isn’t a priority.

The second stage of the road would see the duplication of Dyson Drive between Remembrance Drive and Ballarat-Carngham Road.

Yet, State Minister for Roads and Road Safety, Ben Carroll, said additional work was not urgent.

“We’ve listened to the local community and we’ve heard loud and clear that Ballarat Link Road Stage 2 is not a priority,” he said.

“We’ve invested over $4.7 billion on building and upgrading regional roads since 2015 and will continue to work with local communities to ease congestion and deliver safer journeys.”

However, City of Ballarat mayor Cr Daniel Moloney is at odds with the roads minister.

“Delivery of the next stages of Ballarat Link Road, including the duplication of Dyson Drive, is a long-term priority project for the City of Ballarat,” Cr Moloney said.

Out at the site last week, Victorian Opposition Leader Matthew Guy said fixing and rebuilding regional roads would be a major priority if he was elected in November, promising $60 million over the next four years to the works.

“This project is so important for Ballarat’s growth. It’s Victoria’s third largest city,” Mr Guy said.

Regional Development Victoria has projected Ballarat’s population to grow by almost 25 per cent over the next 14 years, and a statement from the Liberal Party said the city’s traffic had increased by 60 per cent over the past five years.

“This road has been promised and promised and promised by the Labor Party, and nothing’s happened,” Mr Guy said. “They’ve had eight years to get on with it.”

The first stage of the Link Road project, running from Learmonth Road to Remembrance Drive, was completed in 2018.

Mr Moloney said he hoped to see this funding commitment matched by all sides of politics to ensure its timely completion.

A statement from the Labor Government said it was already spending on Ballarat’s road network, including $60.8 million to upgrade key intersections across the city.

-WITH AAP