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Princes Highway Continues To Suffer Funding Neglect


Princes Highway Continues To Suffer Funding Neglect

Author: NRMADate: 14 May 2008

The Princes Highway has been drastically underfunded once again by the Federal Budget, NRMA President and South Coast director Alan Evans said today.

Mr Evans said it was extremely disappointing that the highway had been ignored once again at a time of unprecedented economic prosperity.

"The Princes Highway is the only road corridor in Australia to have prompted a special coronial inquiry established into the needless and tragic deaths of 19 people - yet once again the Princes Highway misses out," Mr Evans said.

"At a time of record surpluses and more than $15 billion in fuel excise, it’s incomprehensible why the communities living and working along the Princes Highway don’t deserve their fair share of road funding.

"People are already sick of the ongoing fight between the State and Federal Government as to who should pay for the upgrade of the Princes Highway but it’s galling when you calculate just how much money is being drained from motorists."

Mr Evans welcomed the Government’s decision to commit $1 million to start the Bega Bypass project.

"The $1 million falls far, far short of the $15 million Labor promised for the Bega Bypass during the 2007 election but it’s a start," Mr Evans said.

Across NSW and the ACT, road funding increased by more than 15 per cent next financial completion, meaning many other projects will be able to progress towards completion.

Mr Evans said transport funding had increased by 10 per cent nationally, bringing total spending to more than $3.2 billion - up from $2.9 billion.

"However, revenue from fuel excise has increased by $580 million to a whopping total of $15.04 billion, revealing a funding imbalance of more than $250 million which should be put back into roads," Mr Evans said.

"When you are talking billions of dollars in fuel excise, it doesn’t make sense that the Princes Highway continues to suffer."

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