Mackay politicians urged to prioritise road safety
The State’s peak motoring body has put politicians on notice and called for vital road projects in the Mackay region to be funded in a bid to save lives and drive investment in north Queensland.
RACQ Head of Public Policy Susan Furze said road safety needed to be front of mind for present and future leaders in north Queensland in the upcoming federal election.
“Last year eight people were killed on roads in the Dawson electorate and another 12 died on roads in the Capricornia electorate,” Ms Furze said.
“Crashes are preventable and have devastating flow-on effects for the families of those who have died and their communities.
“Investment in road safety does make a difference and we’re calling for further commitment to key projects to generate jobs, save lives and drive productivity.”
RACQ’s priority projects in Mackay include:
- Accelerating all Bruce Highway Upgrade Program projects by increasing annual funding by 50%, including additional maintenance activities
- Duplicating the Sarina to Mackay link of the Bruce Highway to improve safety, capacity and flood immunity
- Delivering Mackay Ring Road Stage 2 (Mackay Port Access Road)
- Delivering a safety works package* for the Peak Downs Highway, including flood immunity and bridge upgrades to improve productivity
- Fast-tracking the delivery of safety, capacity and flood immunity upgrades to the Gregory Highway / Gregory Developmental Road (Inland Freight Route project) to provide a suitable inland alternative route to the Bruce Highway
Increasing investment in the Federal Road Safety Program and bolstering maintenance funding allocations to deliver safer, stronger and more resilient regional roads.
Additionally, RACQ is calling for increased investment in natural disaster resilience and mitigation measures.
Ms Furze said the next Federal Government must make the Bruce Highway a priority.
“A funding boost for the Bruce Highway is desperately needed to accelerate the delivery of vital upgrades,” Ms Furze said.
“We’re also calling for additional funding to modernise Queensland’s transport and energy systems, by trialling emerging fuel, charging, energy storage and energy production technology including solar, hydrogen, community grids and micro-grids.”
RACQ is also urging both sides of government to help expand the national electric vehicle fast-charging network, and progress public access to the EV fast charger network as identified in Infrastructure Australia’s Infrastructure Priority List.
To view RACQ’s election priorities click here.
*Safety works packages include lane and shoulder widening, safety barriers or removal of roadside hazards, intersection improvements and additional overtaking lanes/opportunities.