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2009 Roads Budget: All Quiet On The Western Front


2009 Roads Budget: All Quiet On The Western Front

Author: NRMA Motoring & ServicesDate: 16 June 2009

All roads west of the Great Dividing Range have been ignored in today's NSW Budget.

NRMA Motoring & Services Director Graham Blight said the NSW Government should be called upon to explain why they were boasting about a record spend on road infrastructure but had ignored western NSW.

"There is no commitment whatsoever for the Newell, Mitchell, Great Western (west of Lithgow) highways or any other road for that matter," Mr Blight said.

"Local communities were dealt a further blow with the announcement that there would be no additional funding for the Timber Bridges Program."

In 2007, the NSW Government devoted $60 million to fix timber bridges on a 50:50 basis with local councils. Two years earlier, the Institute of Public Works Engineering NSW estimated that it would cost at least $289 million to fix the state's timber bridges.

Mr Blight said many local communities would now have to continue to suffer with run-down dangerous timber bridges when the funding pool dries up.

"The only good news for western NSW communities rests on the actions of local councils," Mr Blight said.

"Local councils who could afford to apply for an interest free loan from the Government's new Local Infrastructure Fund should do so.

"Offering interest free loans to cash-strapped councils may not be the solution to fixing local roads, however if councils can afford to go into further debt to make their roads safer than the NRMA encourages them to apply for the loans.

"The Government's $51.9 million investment in NSW tourism and the abolition of stamp duty on the registration of caravans and camper trailers is potentially good news for western NSW holidaymakers.

"As one of the state's largest providers of travel and accommodation services the NRMA is pleased the Government has provided a much-needed boost to the state's tourism industry.

"Campaigns to encourage people to holiday in NSW and easing taxes on caravans and trailers will ultimately benefit local communities that rely so heavily on tourism support."

Contact: Daniel Stanton 0439 133 092

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