SYKES – BOLDER RESPONSE TO COUNTRY ROAD TOLL NEEDED

The Nationals Member for Benalla, Bill Sykes, says the Bracks Government’s response to an inquiry examining the country road toll is a lacklustre reaction to a serious issue.

Dr Sykes said the government had not committed the funding needed to implement the 70 recommendations the Road Safety Committee made in its report on Victoria’s alarmingly high country road toll.

“The Bracks Government’s response to the country road toll inquiry’s findings has exposed its reluctance to commit additional expenditure to tackle Victoria’s high country road toll.”

“I, and my Nationals colleagues, were keen to see full government support for the range of sensible recommendations arising from the inquiry and aware that additional funding would be required to enable many of these recommendations to become reality.”

“But the government’s response shows that while it is happy to support recommendations that involve asking VicRoads to carry out investigations and research, it is reluctant to get behind recommendations that demand additional government funding for road safety measures.”

“The classic case in point is the government’s failure to commit to increasing the use of proven low-cost road treatments like audio-tactile edge lines, as recommended by the committee.”

“Audio-tactile edge lines help to inform a driver about the road environment they are travelling in and help to reduce the incidence of dangerous driving on country roads and serious accidents caused by fatigue.”

“Instead of committing to an immediate boost in funding for such common sense measures, the government has responded with the lacklustre assurance that it will look into the potential use of low-cost road treatments and decide in two year’s time if it will increase their use.”

Dr Sykes said The Nationals recognise additional funding and immediate action is required to tackle Victoria’s sizeable country road toll.

“Luckily the Bracks Government’s response to the country road toll inquiry isn’t all bad news. The Government has supported recommendations dealing with the need to adopt measures that will reduce the number of young drivers killed on our country roads, which we support.”

“The tragic youth road toll on country roads is something all Nationals MPs feel strongly about. That is why we have made a number of bold recommendations designed to tackle the youth road toll in a recent submission to VicRoads.”

“While the government is proposing to merely encourage voluntary restrictions on late night driving or driving with multiple passengers for young drivers, we are proposing to make these proven measures compulsory for all young drivers as part of a new graduated licensing system.”

“The Nationals recognise the country road toll problem requires real action and real funds, not more rhetoric and investigations. I call on the government to immediately get behind our push to tackle this problem.”

Media contact: Bill Sykes (03) 5762 2100 or 0427 624 989