Roads Australia President, David Stuart-Watt said today the decision – along with the one billion dollar spending commitment on regional road and bridge maintenance – was good news for smaller regional communities in particular.
“It will be especially welcomed by smaller councils that don’t have the resources to prioritise and maintain these roads to the same standard as neighbouring larger councils,” he said.
“It also creates opportunities to bundle roadworks to get the biggest bang for buck.”
Mr Stuart-Watt said the condition of regional roads and bridges was also a huge determinant of freight efficiency and safety.
“Poorly maintained roads impact directly on the time it takes to deliver goods from point A to point B, the vehicle and load size, and the safety of drivers,” he said.
“By investing in the regional road network, we open the door to the wider use of higher productivity vehicles.”
Mr Stuart-Watt said in reaching the decision, the Government had demonstrated its willingness to listen to key stakeholders like Roads Australia.