Today marked the official launch of local government's campaign for the renewal of the Roads to Recovery program, which provides direct federal funding to councils to maintain local roads, which make up more than 80 per cent of the nation's road system.
President of the Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) and North Sydney Mayor, Genia McCaffery said local government is requesting increased and permanent funding that will ensure the safety of the national local road system beyond 2014, which is when the current Roads to Recovery program is due to end.
"In 2010, ALGA conducted a study into local road funding which found that the shortfall in expenditure is about $1.2 billion annually. The study confirmed what councils already knew; that the local roads system is at risk of breaking down," Mayor McCaffery said.
"The maintenance of the local road system is one of local government's major commitments and for most councils, road maintenance is the single largest item of expenditure. Total expenditure on local roads by councils was estimated by the Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics to be $4.2 billion in 2008-09."
"Since 2000, the Federal Government has recognised that the needs of local roads are beyond the financial capacity of local government and has provided supplementary funding under the Roads to Recovery program, which is due to run out in 2014.
"While we aren't specifying the amount of increased funding, we do ask that it recognises the huge shortfall that our study has estimated.
"There is much more to do on our local roads. The continued under-investment hinders the social and economic development of our communities.
"Improving the quality of our roads will contribute to safer roads. On average, four people are killed and 90 are seriously injured every day on Australia's roads. This equates to the loss of 1500 lives a year as a result of road crashes."
To download a photograph of the campaign launch involving approximately 300 council delegates, visit:www.alga.asn.au/policy/transport/congress/2011/photos/