By BRIDGET SCOTT
NARRE Warren South MP Judith Graley has slammed the Napthine Government for neglecting roads in the City of Casey.
Ms Graley has also said that since the current Government has been in power, there has been no developments to roads which cause serious concern in the area.
Supporting Ms Graley’s claims, the recent release of the Auditor General’s Report has revealed that roads in growth areas such as the City of Casey require “urgent action”.
Ms Graley said there are a number of roads in the Casey area that need to be updated and developed.
“The Government needs to take seriously the issue of road congestion in the City of Casey,” she said.
“In the last State Budget, there was not a cent spent on the roads in the City of Casey.”
Ms Graley said the biggest issues which come into her office are Thompson’s Road, as well as a major intersection in Hampton Park.
“The Thompsons Road duplication is the biggest issue that comes into my office,” she said.
“The second biggest is Pound Road and Shrives Road.”
The Auditor General’s Report, which came out earlier this month, backed Ms Graley’s statements by revealing the State Government has “failed to deliver transport infrastructure services needed to support rapidly growing communities”.
It also said that “urgent action is needed to address this serious problem”.
According to the report, the population of the City of Casey was estimated to have increased by nearly 50 per cent from 2011 to now, with it set to double again by 2031.
Shadow Minister for Roads and Road Safety and Narre Warren North MP Luke Donnallen has also spoken in the wake of the release of the report.
According to Donnellan, the Auditor General Report also found that “Casey required between $1.2 and $1.3 billion in extra funding to address longstanding road infrastructure needs”.
Mr Donnellan said this report is proof of the lack of funding given by the current Government to Victorian roads.
“This report is damning of the inaction and underfunding from the Napthine Liberal Government on roads and infrastructure across Casey,” Mr Donnellan said.
While the State Government was not available to provide a response, Ms Graley and Mr Donnellan are both concerned about the future of the roads in Casey.
Ms Graley said when people use the Pound Road and Shrives Road intersection, “they feel as though they’re taking their lives into their own hands”.
