Western Highway Development Delays Continue to Frustrate
Published on 17 July 2023
The Western Highway Action Committee has called on the State Government to not overlook the importance of the Western Highway Duplication in lieu of other projects after its latest meeting held in June 2023. The committee have asked the State Government to confirm its ongoing financial commitment, with the committee agreeing to do what they can to ensure that the long-awaited Western Highway duplication works continue.
The often-perilous conditions along the major East – West thoroughfare are at the forefront of concerns presented by Western Highway Action Committee members, whose membership includes ten councils, each located between Melton and the South Australian border along the Western Highway corridor; Melton City, Moorabool Shire, Ballarat City, Pyrenees Shire, Ararat Rural City, Yarriambiack Shire, Horsham Rural City, Hindmarsh Shire, West Wimmera Shire, and Northern Grampians Shire councils.
The highway duplication was a major subject of a discussion at the latest meeting of the Western Highway Action Committee, held in Beaufort recently. Each steadfast in their determination to do what it takes to ensure that the Western Highway construction works are delivered promptly and efficiently moving forward, a stance which has played a major role in ensuring that the committee have consistently continued to advocate the need for duplication of the highway over many years.
Committee Chair, Cr Kevin Erwin, said that “it has been so important for duplication to proceed to improve road safety, and increase the efficiency of both freight and people transport. The Western Highway is the third busiest interstate freight route in Australia – and therefore clearly of national level priority.”
“While we applaud the efforts of successive State and Federal governments to contribute to the funding of these vital upgrade works, I must support the importance of the route and governments ongoing commitment of the Western Highway, including the 90-day Independent Strategic Review of the Commonwealth Infrastructure Investment Program,” Cr Erwin added.
Cr Erwin, both Chair of the Western Highway Action Committee and Mayor of Northern Grampians Shire Council, has written a letter appealing to the Hon. Jacinta Allan MP, calling on her to ensure commitment to the Western Highway Duplication by the Andrews Labor Government. Each of the respective councils are likely to follow suit.
The letter highlights the critical importance of the highway and calls on the State of Victoria to ensure duplication of the remaining section of the Western Highway proceeds with financial commitment from the Victorian State Government to complete this national level priority infrastructure project.