Road Warning For Rural Travellers
Farmers have issued a fresh safety warning to rural travellers this National Road Safety Week as the state’s road network remains riddled with billions of dollars in damages.
NSW Farmers’ Wagga Branch Chair David Meiklejohn said the state of the roads in rural areas were a disgrace, with the transport of food from farm to fork becoming increasingly impossible.
“You only have to drive out the farm gate and you’re faced with everything from dangerous potholes that can ruin your tyres to whole sections of road crumbled into oblivion,” Mr Meiklejohn said.
“Floods have left many roads near impassable in the north, while down south, a similar neglect to repair our roads has meant we’re battling to get fodder on farm and truck livestock off – making this drought even harder than it already is.
“If you’re planning on driving anywhere in rural NSW, my message to you is simple: buckle up, and be ready for the roads to be a mess.”
A recent report by NRMA estimated $3.4 billion in funding was needed by NSW’s local councils to repair their roads to a safe condition.
Mr Meiklejohn said an unprecedented effort would be necessary to get NSW’s rural and regional roads back on track, with all levels of government urged to immediately invest in road repairs and upgrades across the state.
“Boosting federal support for Financial Assistance Grants to fix our roads would go a long way to getting us back on track, but we also need to see billions, not millions, in funding from our state and federal governments to shift the dial,” Mr Meiklejohn said.
“Every day we leave our roads like this is another day where our families, our friends, our truckies and our tourists are put at unnecessary risk.
“The productivity benefits that would also flow if we could just get inputs on-farm – and food and fibre off it – would be second to none.
“It’s a no-brainer: fix our roads, and you’ll keep our families safe, and food on the table for the nation.”
https://nswfarmers.org.au/NSWFA/Posts/Media_Releases/Road-warning-for-rural-travellers.aspx