Inland roads given priority

THE recognition of the inland Queensland road network as a nationally significant infrastructure priority is a big win for improved productivity and community safety, Townsville development leader Glenys Schuntner says.

It is also hoped it will lead to even more funding than the $1 billion committed to improving this region’s road network over the past five years.

Ms Schuntner heads the Townsville and North West Queensland regional development committee which managed a submission to Infrastructure Australia on behalf of the Inland Queensland Road Action Project.

The project is supported by the region’s 28 local governments, five regional development committees and the Royal Automobile Club of Queensland. It is the first time the inland Queensland road network has made the priority list of the statutory authority advising government on infrastructure priorities.

“The really important aspect of being listed on the national infrastructure priority list is that it demonstrates to all levels of government that the inland Queensland road network is a nationally significant priority,” Ms Schuntner said.

“We need to invest in that network for the benefit of Queensland.”

The project’s submission identified that inland Queensland contributes $43.5 billion in Gross Regional Product but almost 20 per cent of its strategic road network is not fit for purpose. It also has a poor safety record that contributes to a death rate from accidents on regional and remote roads that is almost five times worse than for roads in major cities.

Ms Schuntner said the issues for its project members were different than for people in capital cities and they were trying to get the way infrastructure priorities were assessed changed.

Road quality affected travel times for inland industries dealing with major exports of coal, minerals, beef, horticulture and seafood. Ms Schuntner said council leaders would use the listing to argue the case for more funding.