Feds to double road support funding

ROADS across Australia are set to see a boost in support with financial backing behind the Federal Government’s Roads to Recovery and Black Spot programs to double.

Speaking in Ballarat last Sunday, local MP and Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government, Catherine King, said the initiative is about lifting the burden on municipalities across Australia.

“I live in the country,” she said. “I know just how hard it is for our local council to keep up with the maintenance and improvement of our local roads.

“With increasing weather events, that’s meant they’re finding it really difficult to keep up with that maintenance of our local roads. More money needs to go to [them].”

The Roads to Recovery program’s current allocation of $500 million is set to increase to $1 billion per year, while the Black Spot funding initiative will be boosted from $110 million to $150 million per year.

As part of the initiative, the Heavy Vehicle Safety and Productivity and Bridges Renewal programs will be combined to form the Safer Local Roads and Infrastructure program, which will be increased to $200 million per year.

Ms King said it’s important to allocate the funding in a considered manner.

“We want to do this in a sensible way, a way in which we don’t add to inflation, and we don’t create further problems with our labour market shortages,” she said.

The funding increase will begin from next year’s Federal budget, with the Roads to Recovery program’s $1 billion mark expected to be reached after four years after which that amount will continue to be allocated.