Local Government NSW’s (LGNSW) declaration of a Statewide Roads Emergency has been unanimously supported by the New South Wales mayors and councillors attending the National Local Roads and Transport Congress in Hobart.
As part of the Statewide Roads Emergency, LGNSW is calling for:
- An acceleration and significant increase in funding for the $1.1 billion Fixing Local Roads and Fixing Country Bridges program
- A boost to Road Block Grant funding to compensate for the damage to the regional road network
- New funding to provide councils with plant machinery and skilled workers to expedite road repairs
The declaration and urgent call for the New South Wales and Federal Governments to increase their existing road funding commitments comes after successive floods and torrential rain events caused $2.5 billion in road damages and a collapse of the local and regional road network.
LGNSW President, Darriea Turley, warned that without additional funding, the economic and social harm caused by this emergency would only get worse.
“More than 220 natural disaster areas have been declared across New South Wales this year, leaving the road network in a state of disrepair,” Cr Turley said.
“Road repair funding pledged to date has fallen well short of what is required so we’re declaring this Statewide Roads Emergency to get help before the situation becomes even worse.
“In the coming weeks, close to $4 billion worth of crops will need to be harvested and transported, yet harvesting machinery is unable to access some of the most productive regions in our state.
Cr Turley said the wider rural communities supporting Australia’s food bowl who are waiting for the network to be repaired “are on their knees”.
“Meanwhile, families travelling during the upcoming summer holidays will find their trips to visit family and friends severely disrupted unless councils get the support we need to rebuild the road network,” Cr Turley said.
“When this rain finally recedes, we owe it to our communities that they gain access to their road network as quickly as possible.”
Cr Turley said New South Wales communities are facing an unprecedented disaster which calls for an unprecedented response.
“I call on the New South Wales and Federal Governments to take action on the Statewide Roads Emergency and help our regional and rural communities bounce back from the devastation caused by this year’s floods,” Cr Turley said.
