THE ASK
Increased allocation of funding for safe roads for the Western Downs and regional Queensland.
Western Downs is a thriving economic hub with booming intensive agriculture, manufacturing, resource, and energy sectors that support the Queensland economy. These industries rely on critical road infrastructure to connect commodities to market.
The State-controlled road network in the Western Downs is out-dated and insufficient to support modern heavy transport due to State government road funding allocations.
Western Downs calls for funding allocation to consider heavy vehicle freight volumes and requirements.
WHAT’S THE NEED?
The Western Downs requires urgent Queensland Government funding and sustainable asset management to renew and upgrade aging road infrastructure on the State road network in the Western Downs to improve the condition of our regional road network.
Western Downs Regional Council has a maintenance backlog of $33.2 million for State-controlled roads (with a further $4.9 million for the national highway). The value of urgent safety repairs for State roads is $16.8 million (with a further $2.1 million for the national highway).
Despite these figures, the allocation for maintenance of the State controlled network in Western Downs for 2024/25 is only $3.95 million (only $1.45 million for the national highway).
Western Downs implores the State Government to fund asset renewals on aged assets in lieu of increasing maintenance funding.
Recent State Government funding programs have focused predominantly on metropolitan areas due to the high volume of domestic traffic. A significantly lower proportion of funding is allocated
to regional areas despite the high volumes of heavy vehicle freight which accelerate the deterioration of road pavements on the State road network.
The funding shortfall has resulted in a cumulative lack of asset renewals for regional road infrastructure with the condition of State-controlled roads in the Western Downs falling well short of Department of Transport and Main Roads (DTMR) target standards which exacerbates backlogs in renewals and maintenance works.
Urgent State Government action is needed to re-prioritise road infrastructure funding to acknowledge heavy vehicle freight routes which support the State’s economy and the direct correlation of heavy vehicles impact to road pavements. Let’s balance the funding between domestic and heavy vehicle road requirements.
WHY IS IT SO CRITICAL?
The Western Downs is integral to the day-to-day functioning of the Queensland economy.
Despite being the Energy Capital of Queensland and its multi-billion-dollar agricultural sector, the Western Downs is being crippled by critical shortfalls in State Government Road funding. Our roads are the backbone of the Western Downs economy. The output capability of our agriculture, intensive agriculture, manufacturing, and energy sectors are reliant on strong, safe road networks.
Current asset renewal funding shortfalls forces Western Downs Regional Council to prioritise maintenance funding to repair numerous individual defects to keep the State-controlled road network safe for motorists. Investment in overdue asset renewals and strategic upgrades would see money well spent.
Current State Government funding allocations support road safety improvements such as wide centre line treatments and flattening of batter slopes. These programs have limited safety benefits and do not improve the physical road infrastructure which remains in poor and failing asset condition posing very real threats to the safety of all road users.
Australians in regional areas are about five times more likely to die in road crashes than those in urban areas.
Increased road funding support is essential to support Queensland’s economy and safety of the rural and regional communities.
34,991
CHINCHILLA
JANDOWAE MEANDARRA
OUR ROADS ARE THE LIFEBLOOD OF THE WESTERN DOWNS ECONOMY. THE OUTPUT
CAPABILITY OF OUR AGRICULTURE, INTENSIVE AGRICULTURE, MANUFACTURING, AND ENERGY SECTORS ARE RELIANT ON STRONG, SAFE ROAD NETWORKS.
WESTERN DOWNS – THE ENERGY CAPITAL OF QUEENSLAND
ECONOMIC STATISTICS
$7.5 BILLION Development in the Pipeline in 2024
$5.9 BILLION Contributed to Qld's GRP
THE WESTERN DOWNS
POWERS MORE THAN 2 MILLION AUSTRALIANS EVERY SINGLE DAY
24 approved solar farms
2 thermal coal mines
2 fully operational wind farms
hydrogen energy trial underway
WE CONTRIBUTE $3.68 BILLION TO QUEENSLAND’S GRP
$3.5 BILLION mining/resource industry output
$1.6 BILLION agricultural industry output
42% of National Feedlot
Occupancy within 200km radius of Dalby
60 feedlots, 25 piggeries
CONTACT US
For more information on Western Downs Regional Council’s advocacy for increased allocation of funding for safe roads for the Western Downs and regional Queensland, please contact:
ANDREW SMITH
Mayor
Western Downs Regional Council 0438 755 896
andrew.smith@wdrc.qld.gov.au
JODIE TAYLOR Chief Executive Officer
Western Downs Regional Council 0407 961 496
jodie.taylor@wdrc.qld.gov.au
