Lachlan Shire Council will receive $7,095,266.51 to help make repairs to their 3,982-kilometre road network.
They are one of 90 regional Councils to receive a slice of $280 million from the Regional and Local Roads Repair Program.
Lachlan Shire Council Mayor John Medcalf OAM said he was thrilled Council is receiving an additional $7 million to help repair the road network.
“The money will be spent on urgent road repairs, priority corrective maintenance and pothole repairs,” he explained.
“Local government is responsible for maintaining around 85 percent of our state’s road network. We have a huge job ahead of us, and by the NSW Liberal and Nationals Government easing the financial burden we can concentrate on providing the manpower and resources to getting the job done.”
According to Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Sam Farraway, funding deeds were sent to Councils on Wednesday, 1 February to ensure funding lands in bank accounts as soon as possible.
“This is part of the NSW Liberal and Nationals Government’s focus on improving and repairing the roads you use every day, to help keep communities safe and supply chains moving,” he stated.
“Our freight industry, local communities, tourists and everyone who uses our road network will start to see the immediate benefits of these road repairs, with smoother, safer journeys.
“After we announced our initial $50 million injection to help fix potholes across regional NSW in November a number of councils sat down with me and asked for additional help and funding.
“We listened and are delivering an additional $280 million for regional councils,, we also provided cash advancements for emergency disaster funding to eligible councils and have diverted Transport for NSW road crews to help fix local roads.
“Thanks to this injection of funds councils can plan and undertake work now to restore roads and help protect against reoccurring problems.
“Since 2019, we have invested $1.8 billion into fixing the local roads you use to make your daily life easier.
“I encourage councils to get the deeds signed quickly so that funding for your local and regional roads gets to you sooner for essential repairs to get underway.”
NSW Nationals Candidate for Barwon Annette Turner OAM said the 14 Local Government Areas across Barwon will receive more than $54 million to cover 29,856 kilometres.
“I have been advised that the 14 Local Government Areas in Barwon, from Broken Hill to Narrabri, have been sent the funding deeds and once the deed is executed the money goes into the bank,” she revealed.
“This is part of the NSW Liberal and Nationals Government’s focus on improving and repairing the roads you use every day, making them more resilient to help keep communities safe and supply chains moving.
“Our freight industry, local communities, tourists and everyone who uses our road network will start to see the immediate benefits of these road repairs, with smoother, safer journeys.”
“The NSW Nationals in Government are committed to improving the infrastructure and services in regional communities, and this significant funding for road repairs in Barwon is a testament to that commitment.”
NSW Road Freight CEO Simon O’Hara said they had written to the state government and opposition on priorities for NSW truckies and articulated that the sooner roads are repaired the better for the Australian freight industry.
“Over the last few years, Australia’s supply chain took a hit with so many roads closed due to bushfires, flooding and diversions in place,” he advised.
“Every 100 kilometres out of a truck driver’s way costs over $300, helping councils to build and repair the infrastructure that reduces travel for the freight industry will ultimately reduce costs for families at the register and deliver safer roads for everyone.”
The NSW Government’s Regional and Local Roads Repair Program is in addition to the $50 million the Government provided before Christmas to help regional councils carry out emergency pothole patching.
That funding will help to fill around 420,000 potholes on council roads in addition to the more than 220,000 potholes that government crews have patched inside the last 12 months on State-owned roads.
The new money is also on top of existing funding and assistance to councils including the Regional Roads Block Grant program and NSW Disaster Assistance Arrangements.