THE region’s councils are facing a $185 million backlog in road maintenance funding and that figure will only get worse without some immediate action, the state’s motoring lobby says.
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The figures are contained in the latest report from the NRMA titled Funding Local Roads – Recommendations to clear the infrastructure backlog.
“A growing infrastructure and maintenance backlog is putting greater pressure on the NSW local and regional road network, with road safety being a primary concern,” the report reads.
“The economic cost will continue to increase if a suitable plan is not implemented to adequately fund local roads.”
The organisation is using its report, which attempts to compare the road maintenance needs of different councils with the funding available, to renew calls for a greater share of petrol taxes to be spent on roads.
The federal government raised about $15 billion from petrol taxes last year, the NRMA said, but spent only about $6 billion on roads.
Councils across the state receive about $630 million in road maintenance grants from the federal and state governments, the report states.
However, they face a maintenance bill of about $770 million, creating a shortfall last year of about $140 million.
When looking at the picture for the whole state, the NRMA says the current backlog of infrastructure funding required to bring roads to a satisfactory condition is $3.2 billion, of which $2.5 billion is required for regional roads and $710 million for metropolitan councils.
The New England region is faring better than some of its neighbours though, with the Mid North Coast having an infrastructure backlog estimate of more than $608 million and the North Coast $340 million.
Port Macquarie Hastings Council alone has a figure in the vicinity of $225 million.
For Moree Plains Shire mayor Katrina Humphries, the report comes as no surprise.
Her council, like every other in the region, faces a constant battle to maintain its road network, with Cr Humphries agreeing roads are the single biggest issue for local government in regional areas.
According to the report, Moree Plains has an infrastructure backlog estimate of $10.5 million, while Inverell with $25.7 million and Gwydir with $36.8 million are among the highest.
She also concedes her council is losing the battle.
“We’ve got roads where we are beginning to doubt we can maintain the gravel on,” Cr Humphries said.
Moree Plains tried to tackle the problem several years ago when they introduced a 9.25 per cent compounding rate rise over three years, with all that additional money quarantined for the maintenance of the shire’s sealed road network.
However, it hasn’t kept pace with demand, with the cost of sealing roads rising about 6 per cent every year.
“We can wear it for a couple of years, but over 25 years it becomes impossible,” Cr Humphries said.
State and federal governments, she says, must act to try to turn the tide.
“They keep talking about infrastructure in Australia and how important it is for our future – well, why don’t they start by building some decent roads?” she said.
