Major parties road funding announcements too piecemeal: RAC
15 November 2007
Both major parties road funding commitments are too piecemeal and the RAC would like to see a co-ordinated road funding plan for Western Australia.
While the Shadow Minister for Transport Martin Ferguson's announcement on road investment in Dampier and Esperance is welcome and Labor has made a greater commitment to WA roads than the Coalition so far, neither have revealed a comprehensive road funding programme for WA, according to the RAC.
"We have seen a lot of investment in infrastructure around ports which is important to the economic growth of WA but the number one priority for motorists in WA is to make our roads safer and to stop the carnage," said Roads Policy Manager Gavin Maisey.
Mr Maisey said it was high time the WA road network was recognised as having severe limitations both in the safety it afforded drivers and the contribution it made to the State's burgeoning economic performance.
Mr Maisey also called on the Prime Minister to make good on his pledge that WA would not be forgotten when it came to road funding.
He said that reports that the Coalition had almost exhausted its $22.3 billion AusLink 2 fund were extremely concerning given the Howard Government had only pledged a measly $420 million to WA.
"We have been lobbying hard on behalf of our members for $3 billion investment into roads and road safety but with more than $20 billion already pledged by the Coalition for road projects in other states between 2009-2014 it appears our calls for WA have fallen on deaf ears."
"If this is the case then it underlines WA's status as the poor relation when it comes to Federal road funding.
Mr Maisey said WA had some of the neediest roads in Australia and funding could not wait until beyond the AusLink 2 program.
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