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NRMA survey: the valley’s worst roads

Geoff Helisma |

Playing its part in bringing the state of local roads across NSW to the fore – before and during the current NSW election campaigns – the NRMA recently revealed that there is a $2.2billion funding backlog and subsequently launched a survey, Rate Your Road, “which called on members and the community to rate their local roads and public transport”.

The politicians reacted accordingly; NSW Labor pledged an extra $900million to repair local roads, with $23million earmarked for roads in the Clarence electorate; and a fortnight later the NSW Nationals pledged to “invest $1billion … in country roads and bridges, as well as the state government assuming responsibility for an extra 15,000 kilometres of regional roads”.

The results of the NRMA’s survey are in: 23,400 people had their say about almost 10,000 roads across the state and, in the Clarence Valley local government area (LGA), 268 surveys were completed.

The Independent spoke with NRMA spokesperson Peter Khoury, to obtain a breakdown for the valley’s roads – these figures are not available online because they are contained in a spreadsheet that would “not be practical” in regard to preparing it for public release.

Mr Khoury said the NRMA wanted to put the information out before the election.

“The NRMA will use the data … when lobbying the NSW and Australian governments for road and public transport funding priorities,” he said.

“To have mobilised over 23,000 people for the NRMA’s state election campaign is very humbling and our commitment to the community is that their participation will not go to waste,” Mr Khoury said.

“There was a massive spread of roads” across the LGA “that received between one and 10 votes”, Mr Khoury said, “which is consistent with what we saw right across the state”.

In terms of the LGA’s roads that received more than 10 votes, the NRMA calculated the following ratings: Dinjerra Road received 38 votes and was rated 30/100 “which is pretty low”, with a breakdown of 22/100 for both safety and road condition; Orara Way (18 votes) scored 38/100 overall and 33/100 for both safety and road condition; Armidale Road, Coutts Crossing (11 votes), 38/100, safety 30/100 and condition 26/100; and, Florda Drive (red) 15 votes, overall 27/100 and 30/100 for safety and condition.

Clarence Way, which is the subject of a petition to be discussed at the next week’s Clarence Valley Council meeting, scored 20/100 regarding its condition and safety.

Note: Mr Khoury said the overall ratings include a ‘congestion’ component.

A public meeting, to discuss the Florda Rd system, is being held at the Halfway Creek community hall at 5pm on Wednesday March 27.

Clarence Valley Council’s general manager, Ashley Lindsay, will be in attendance, to listen to people’s concerns and discuss possible solutions.

John Edwards from the Clarence Environment Centre will talk about the area’s historical background and related environmental impacts.

Dave Drewett will share is expertise in road construction, including suggestions on how the current road could be improved.

The hall is located at the corner of Kungala Rd and the Pacific Highway; for further information or to RSVP contact Susan or PJ Fenwick on 0451 096 073, or John Hagger on 6644 0207.