Return to road and bridge fund promise
The State Liberal Nationals coalition says it will reintroduce the country roads and bridges program if elected to government in November.
Under the scheme each of the 40 rural shires in the State including Baw Baw would receive a $1 million a year “no strings attached” allocation for each of the next four years.
Member for Narracan Gary Blackwood said councils would decide the priority projects they spent the money on.
He said the current government axed the program in 2014.
Mr Blackwood said rural councils struggled to meet the cost of maintaining local roads and bridges.
He pointed out that 60 per cent of deaths from road accidents in Victoria last year occurred in country areas.
Local roads are critical for parents taking children to school, for freight operators and for creating jobs that keep communities moving, Mr Blackwood said.
The announcement was welcomed by the peak body representing Victorian rural councils.
Chair of Rural Councils Victoria Cr Rob Gersch said the program would make a huge difference to rural councils.
“It has been one of the major issues RCV has lobbied for on behalf of its communities”.
Cr Gersch said the organisation’s submission to the State Budget to be handed down next month made it clear that roads are the links that keep Victoria’s rural economy alive “but they’re falling apart”.
With small ratepayer populations, limited sources of revenue and thousands of kilometres of roads to maintain rural councils are struggling to manage extensive road and bridge infrastructure, Cr Gersch stated.