Labor’s “goat track” Midlands Hwy cracking up

The Midland Highway is starting to seriously crack up.  I drove it twice last weekend and saw if for myself. 

It really is becoming a messy safety risk.

Over the past six weeks there have been thousands of extra truck movements on the highway due to the closure of the north-south rail link.  Combine that with heavy rain and the road even Labor calls a “goat track” is cracking up.

RACT public policy general manager Vince Taskunas confirms that sections around Ross, Oatlands and Pontville have become dangerous.

Southern Midlands Mayor Tony Bisdee says that repair programs were just “putting on bandaids” and not fixing the real problems. He added that the Federal and State governments needed to rethink their approach to the highway.

My mate Jeremy Rockliff (Liberal infrastructure spokesman) rightly points out that the current conditions highlight the need for a four-lane Midland Highway.

He said:

“The State Government’s own reports say there is going to be a 70 per cent increase in heavy freight on our roads in the next 20 years and if this highway is crumbling under the pressure of current traffic rates then it is certainly going to need attention over the next decade.”

• Click here to read The Mercury’s coverage

The only way to achieve the vision and leadership required to upgrade the Midland Highway to four lanes is to change the government. 

Vote Liberal in 2010.