RAA has welcomed a commitment from the State Liberals to repair the Tod Highway and other Eyre Peninsula roads in the lead up to next month’s election.
Liberal Member for Flinders Peter Treloar recently stated in the West Coast Sentinel that under a Marshall Liberal government, the Tod Highway would be made a priority.
RAA General Manager Public Affairs, Penny Gale said it’s pleasing to hear the Liberal Party is committed to improving South Australia’s rural roads.
“When we surveyed our members last year through the Risky Roads campaign, the Tod Highway rated as the riskiest road in rural South Australia,” said Ms Gale. “We estimate around $26.5 million is needed to repair the Tod Highway, including work such as lane and shoulder widening, as well as vegetation removal.”
Transport and Infrastructure Minister Tom Koutsantonis has said previously that the 30 year plan for South Australian roads includes investment for the Tod Highway.
However, the report states the Tod Highway as a medium to long term project, which would mean work wouldn’t start for at least another 10 years. “We hope the Liberal Party can further commit to rural roads, by securing an upgrade of the Tod Highway much sooner than the next decade, as it’s clearly a road that is concerning local residents,” said Ms Gale.
Other rural roads on RAA’s wish list include:
- Bute to Kulpara Road
- Copper Coast Highway
- Kulpara to Maitland Road
- RM Williams Way (Clare to Spalding)
- Maitland to Yorketown Road
- Strathalbyn to Goolwa Road
- Karoonda Highway
In total, RAA estimates $252 million is needed to repair each of these roads to an acceptable standard.
RAA put another of South Australia’s worst regional roads, the Bute to Kulpara Road on the Yorke Peninsula, to the test in a ‘Rural Road Challenge’, with V8 Supercar driver Tim Slade behind the wheel of the RAA Road Champions car.
RAA is calling on its members and the South Australian public to join the drive for improved roads by becoming an RAA Road Champion and going online to ‘honk for better roads’.
“We need to send a strong message to our politicians and the best way to do that is through people power,” said Ms Gale.
For more information, visit www.raa.com.au/roadchampions
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