Pledge to return Country Roads and Bridges program

The Victorian Coalition will reintroduce the Country Roads and Bridges program - worth $1.5 million per annum to each regional council - if elected to government at the state election this November. As part of a $288m investment each year, Victoria's 48 rural and regional councils will receive funding each every year for four years for local roads and bridge upgrades, improving local roads and putting downward pressure on rates at a time when cost-of-living is biting. The funding is in addition to the Liberals and Nationals’ recent pledge to invest $5 billion to repair and rebuild Victoria’s roads, eliminate one million potholes and re-establish a proper, planned system of preventative road maintenance. Rural City of Wangaratta CEO Matt Nelson said council welcomes the Coalition's commitment to restore the Country Roads and Bridges Program. "The proposed funding of $1.5 million annually over four years would provide valuable support to help council meet community expectations for roads, bridges, drainage, and other essential infrastructure," Mr Nelson said. "Importantly, this announcement reflects the strength of advocacy by regional councils. "The Rural City of Wangaratta proposed a regional roads funding model including a $300 million Country Roads and Bridges Fund through Regional Cities Victoria. "This was subsequently adopted by the organisation as part of its advocacy platform.” "It is encouraging to see regional cities included in this commitment which would deliver real benefits for our community, improving safety, connectivity and the reliability of the local road network that residents, businesses and visitors depend on every day." Ovens Valley MP Tim McCurdy said the funding would give councils greater certainty to get on with the road and bridge projects that matter most to their communities. “People across the Ovens Valley know all too well what happens when roads are neglected, potholes get bigger, repairs get more expensive and the safety of drivers, families, farmers and businesses is put at risk,” Mr McCurdy said. “Our communities need roads that are safe, reliable and properly maintained, not another round of excuses from the Labor Government. “Giving councils untied funding means they can make the decisions about which roads and bridges need attention most urgently, based on what their communities are experiencing on the ground. “The Nationals are committed to fixing Victoria’s regional roads and making sure regional communities get their fair share.” Mr McCurdy said the Country Roads and Bridges Program was abolished by Labor in 2015. “Regional communities have waited long enough," he said. "The Liberals and Nationals will restore this program and give councils the funding certainty they need to plan and deliver local infrastructure works." The program will allow local governments to determine which road and bridge projects are the highest priorities in their communities, rather than forcing councils to compete for limited funding through a State Government grants process. “Regional Victorians deserve better than potholes, patch-ups and broken promises; they deserve a government that will finally fix the roads they rely on every day," he said. The announcement follows a Labor government pledge to invest an extra $352m to double the number of potholes fixed this year, from 250,000 to 500,000. A government spokesperson said the funding will be ready for this 'repair season', when the rain events reduce. "Most of the potholes will be removed over the second half of this year and into January, when it’s driest," the spokesperson said. Crews are targeting key arterials across the state – including the Geelong Ring Road, Western Highway, Calder Highway and Princes Highway – plus regional roads. Some $112m the deferment of three level crossings removal projects will help pay for the extra work to fix potholes. Premier Ben Carroll said "this is absolutely where Victorians want to see their money spent – it is my priority”. “The condition of our roads is not good enough,” he said. Regional Cities Victoria said the funding to fix the potholes was long overdue and warned that the problem would not be fixed over one summer. "Years of chronic underinvestment have left too many regional roads at the point where they need rebuilding, not simply another temporary repair," RCV chair Cr Ben Blain said. "RCV will continue to call for a $2 billion Regional Roads Package over four years – an additional $500 million every year above existing road maintenance funding – to begin the long-term task of restoring the state’s regional road network," he Mr Blain said. "For years, regional Victorians have watched billions in cost overruns absorbed by Melbourne’s Big Build while the roads connecting our communities, farms, businesses and freight networks have continued to deteriorate. "What regional Victoria now needs is a sustained, long-term commitment to rebuilding safer roads that are fit for the people and industries that rely on them."