Deb Frecklington
Member for Nanango Deb Frecklington has called on the Labor Government to reinstate much needed funding for highways in the Nanango Electorate.
Mrs Frecklington said she made the plea in Parliament after hearing of yet another road fatality on the Brisbane Valley Highway.
“Anyone who travels the highways and main connecting networks throughout the Somerset, South Burnett and Crows Nest regions knows these roads can be dangerous,” Mrs Frecklington said.
“I spoke in Parliament about the high level of investment made under our former LNP Government to help improve these ageing road corridors.
“We invested $10 million through the Royalties For The Regions program for new overtaking lanes on the Brisbane Valley Highway and D’Aguilar Highway.
“Two more overtaking lanes were also built on the Bunya Highway, and again on the D’Aguilar between Nanango and Kingaroy.
“In fact, in the financial year 2013-14, forty per cent of the state-controlled roads in the Nanango Electorate either had works started, or ready to begin.
“But now investment in the Nanango Electorate road network has dropped away almost entirely under this Labor Government.
“We have seen some works undertaken, but this funding has come from the Federal Government.
“There have been no new overtaking lanes and no real promise of future funding.
“We really need overtaking lanes on the New England Highway, especially between Crows Nest and Cooyar. There’s also the section of road just south of Harlin on the Brisbane Valley Highway which needs an overtaking lane and re-alignment to make it safer.
“For people in regional areas, continued road investment is critical.
“It helps ensure producers can get their product to market, it brings tourists, it transports goods to our region and most importantly, it means our community can get where they need to go safely, each day.
“I’m calling on the Labor Government to remember our regional road networks and make the investments needed to keep our community safe.”
