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RAA welcomes state budget funding for road safety initiatives but concerns continue with insufficient road maintenance funding
Today’s 2023-24 State Budget includes important funding for roads and public transport, including:
However, RAA Senior Manager Safety and Infrastructure Charles Mountain said the state’s largest member organisation was seeking more funding to address South Australia’s growing $2 billion road maintenance backlog.
“RAA is pleased to see important funding allocated to a road safety package, including $40m to upgrade Mount Barker roundabout, $10m for rural road safety infrastructure and $6.2m for Kangaroo Island road maintenance,” Mr Mountain said.
“We also welcome initiatives aimed at improving South Australia’s public transport system, such as the Tap and Pay rollout on all services.
“But we are concerned about the level of ongoing road maintenance funding, which should be a priority for South Australia given the state of our road network.
“In the lead up to this year’s budget we called for $750m over four years to help get on top of road maintenance and improve road safety outcomes.
“The current base level funding is not enough to address our growing backlog of road maintenance to maintain a minimum standard across the network. We need a renewed focus on this in future budgets, as the condition of our road network is a key component of the Safe System approach to reducing road trauma.”
Mr Mountain said RAA was awaiting a federal review into critical co-funded road infrastructure projects, such as the duplication of key regional corridors in South Australia.
“We acknowledge the current federal review of infrastructure spending is ongoing and we will be closely monitoring its outcome,” Mr Mountain said.
“We hope the review will confirm funding for key projects such as the duplication of the Augusta, Sturt and Dukes Highways, as well as provide further investment to address the deteriorating state of SA’s road network.”
Other State Budget measures, RAA was pleased to see a boost for the Major Events fund, $23.5 million to ensure continuation of bus services in regional South Australia, $2 million for the installation and upgrade of active pedestrian crossings at Clarence Park and West Croydon train stations, and $8.7 million to introduce a new GoZone on the Lightsview to City bus route.
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