In Parliament this week, The Nationals’ Member for Shepparton District, Kim O’Keeffe, invited the Minister for Roads and Road Safety, Melissa Horne, to join her and a local truck driver for a tour of the appalling and dangerous roads in the Shepparton electorate.
Ms O’Keeffe was recently contacted by Mr Stewart Edgar from Sutherland Transport Services requesting that she join him on the road in his truck to see firsthand the dangerous roads and unsafe conditions that he faces on a daily basis from a truck driver’s perspective.
Speaking from Parliament, Ms O’Keeffe highlighted the frustration and danger experienced by local truck drivers.
“When trucks are passing one another on so many of these local roads, Mr Edgar has pointed out that there simply isn’t the clearance to swerve to miss a pothole or damaged road surfaces, and often it’s a case of hit the pothole or end up in a ditch or a head on collision,” she said.
“Damage to their vehicles from the appalling condition of our roads is costing local truck companies thousands of dollars every month and it is simply not sustainable.
“These costs should not be put on the local truck businesses for no fault of their own.
“Being able to drive on safe and well-maintained roads and make it home at the end of a shift is crucial to the livelihoods of our truck drivers.
“Let’s remember, roads are a truck driver’s workplace, and this government is failing to keep them safe.”
Ms O’Keeffe said the state of our roads reflects a government that has its priorities completely wrong.
“Road maintenance targets are not being met, funding is being cut and our roads continue to deteriorate.
“The government continues to prioritise city centric projects with billions in cost blow outs, rather than prioritise roads and road safety.
“Stewart has invited me to experience his life as a truck driver on our appalling and unsafe roads.
“We have also invited the Minister to join us so she can experience and see firsthand the dangerous road network out in the regions due to the ongoing neglect of our roads.
“The maintenance of our roads is the Minister’s responsibility and the level of neglect in my electorate, and the impact needs to be seen to be believed.”
The Minister is required to respond to the invitation in writing within a month.
