At the Road Freight NSW Conference and Awards, Jenny Aitchison, Minister for Regional Transport and Roads, highlighted the challenges and priorities her ministry faces in improving New South Wales’ transport infrastructure, especially in regional areas.
Aitchison addressed the immense strain placed on the state’s roads due to natural disasters. She highlighted that regional New South Wales has experienced significant losses in road infrastructure due to these events, amounting to a $4.5 billion loss for local and regional networks and another $1 billion on state roads since 2018. She acknowledged the glacial pace of government reforms but committed to ensuring that road networks are built to withstand future environmental challenges.
She expressed pride in the NSW government’s $309 million investment in regional road repair, which topped up the previous $280 million allocated by the former government. In the last 12 months, the government has allocated $670 million to fix roads across the state, particularly those impacted by severe weather conditions. Aitchison noted that the state’s partnership with the federal government, particularly in terms of disaster recovery funding, is crucial to addressing these challenges.
Resilience was a key theme of her speech, as she explained the importance of forward planning for both road maintenance and the transportation of materials related to renewable energy projects. She expressed concerns about the current state of the road network, particularly in far-western NSW, where many roads are unsealed and infrastructure is lacking. She emphasised that maintenance is as important as building new roads, noting that failures like the one at the Terrab bridge could have been avoided with more proactive investment.
In terms of future projects, Aitchison highlighted the $3.3 billion investment in the Hunter region, which aims to address the growing demand for infrastructure related to renewable energy zones. She also outlined the government’s plans to invest $128.5 million in transport infrastructure related to the Port of Newcastle and the Golden Highway corridor, projects which are expected to benefit from additional federal government funding.
Safety remains a high priority for Aitchison’s ministry, with significant investments in road safety measures like wider shoulders, centre lines, and new rest areas. Aitchison shared that $1.75 million has been allocated to upgrading rest areas along key freight routes, particularly the Newell Highway, with more projects planned in collaboration with the federal government.
Finally, she addressed the importance of integrated transport plans, which include passenger vehicles, light vehicles, and active transport. The aim is to create a seamless network that connects regional areas with key ports and infrastructure like the Inland Rail and Western Sydney Airport, ensuring the efficient movement of goods across the state.
Aitchison reaffirmed her commitment to working closely with councils, industry stakeholders, and the federal government to build a resilient, efficient, and safe transport network for regional New South Wales.
