Clarence Nationals MP Richie Williamson is calling on the NSW Government to urgently commit $17.8 million to address the dangerous deterioration of Armidale Road.
Mr Williamson said Armidale Road is a critical regional link between the Clarence Valley, the Northern Tablelands, and the North Coast, yet years of uncertainty around road reclassification have left Clarence Valley Council carrying the financial burden while the road continues to decline.
"Under the former Nationals Government, work was underway to take back council-managed roads like Armidale Road because it was recognised councils simply cannot maintain roads of state significance on ratepayer funding alone," Mr Williamson said.
"That process was scrapped when the Minns Labor Government came to office and replaced with a so-called 'business as usual' approach. Meanwhile, Armidale Road has continued to deteriorate and local ratepayers are left paying the price."
Clarence Valley Council says it will cost approximately $17.8 million to address the backlog of priority defects and to account for missed funding opportunities over the past three years, during which Council refrained from seeking grants while the state government considered the handover.
Mr Williamson said the situation is particularly concerning given Armidale Road has one of the highest crash histories in Council's network and that basic rehabilitation works would still fall short of Transport for NSW's own safety standards without additional investment.
"This is not about upgrades or gold-plating; this is about fixing dangerous sections of road and keeping people safe," he said.
"Clarence Valley Council has been clear, consistent, and reasonable in its request. The NSW Government must acknowledge the financial burden created by its stalled decision-making and step up with the $17.8 million required to get Armidale Road back to a safe standard."
Clarence Valley Council Mayor, Ray Smith said it is no secret that Armidale Road was a priority contender for reclassification as a road that the state government be responsible for, however termination of that process has left 100kms of Armidale Road in Council's care.
"There are significant lengths of the road that require reconstruction, which at $1m per km would be in the millions," Mayor Smith said.
"It seems unreasonable that the ratepayers of the Clarence Valley should be burdened with maintaining Armidale Road when the vast majority of traffic movements are freight and travellers. The road is used as a State Road and should be funded as such."
Mr Williamson has written to the Minister for Regional Transport and Roads and invited her to visit Armidale Road with him and Mayor Smith to see firsthand the condition of this vital regional route.
