[Greens-Media] New road fever undermines road and public transport upgrades

[Alison Orme]

MEDIA RELEASE - 16 August 2006 

New road fever undermines road and public transport upgrades

Greens MP and roads spokesperson Lee Rhiannon said today the Auditor-General’s report on the condition of NSW roads shows the RTA is compromising road safety by failing to maintain and rebuild existing roads. 

“The government has failed to adopt a whole of government approach which successfully manages road safety while providing people with the alternative of an extensive, efficient public transport network,” Ms Rhiannon said.

 “The RTA has prioritised traffic inducing new roads over the last decade, with a growth in spending of more than 50 percent, ignoring the stated priority of maintaining roads in the government's 1998 policy 'Action for Transport 2010'.

“Traffic on NSW roads has doubled in the last 25 years. In this government’s term an extra one million vehicles now use our roads while public transport use has declined.

“The biggest growth has been in heavy vehicles, with the government’s rundown of rail freight pushing more polluting and dangerous trucks onto our roads.

“The Iemma government is missing an obvious message: spend more on public transport to relieve the pressure on our state road network.

“The Auditor-General has highlighted the irony of trying to fix key Sydney roads like Victoria Road, Parramatta Road and Anzac Parade because they are drowning in heavy traffic. 

“While the condition of rural roads may have improved, this comes off a very low base. 

“Rural and regional communities are hardest hit by inadequate roads because their access to public transport is either very poor or completely absent. 

“It was not within the Auditor-General’s brief to look at the state of the 162,000 kms of local council managed roads in NSW. 

“But we know many local communities are rightly concerned about their condition which daily puts lives at risk,” Ms Rhiannon said.

For more information contact:  9230 3551 or 0427 861 568. 


Alison Orme
Adviser, Greens MLC Lee Rhiannon (p/t Tues, Wed and alternate Mons)
Macquarie St, Sydney 2000
Tel: +61-2-9230 3551 Fax: +61-2-9230 3550
Mobile: 0432 332 104
Email alison.orme at parliament.nsw.gov.au 
Web www.leerhiannon.org.au