Survey says Wide Bay wants better roads
5th September, 2012
Wide Bay’s Community Survey 2012 has demonstrated overwhelming support for increased expenditure on local roads.The survey, conducted by Federal Member for Wide Bay, Warren Truss, asked more than 100 questions and received more than 4100 responses from residents of the Noosa, Gympie, Maryborough and Murgon areas.
88% of those who responded to the survey said that they were concerned about the condition of State and Local roads in their area. The biggest concerns were on the Fraser Coast - 93% and South Burnett Regional Council — 91% areas, with 89% concerned in the Gympie Regional and 82% in the Noosa area.
83% said they were concerned about their safety when travelling on the Bruce Highway. The decision to impose a 90 kilometre per hour speed limit on the Cooroy to Curra stretch of the Bruce Highway until the road is upgraded was supported by 49% of respondents while 43% said they did not support the speed limit. Support for the 90km/hr speed limit dropped from 56% when a similar survey was conducted in 2009. 28% thought the speed limit should be extended to other sections of the Highway while 56% said it should not.
Mr Truss said Wide Bay residents have also identified roads and rail as a priority for government expenditure if the Government continues to borrow money to stimulate the economy. 50% of survey participants said that roads and rail infrastructure should be a priority for government expenditure, if borrowings continue, which was equal to health, also on 50%.
There is strong support in the area for greater availability of public transport services.
61% of survey participants wanted improved public transport services, though 22% said they did not.
87% of people said that more freight should be sent by rail instead of road and only 7% said it should not.
Mr Truss said the results of the survey would reinforce his argument that Federal and State Governments need to do more to upgrade roads in the Wide Bay region.
“While the upgrade of the Bruce Highway was obviously a top priority, there are many other roads that also require improvements.
“The Gillard Labor Government’s refusal to commit funding for the remaining projects along the Cooroy to Curra section of the Highway has jeopardised the 2020 target completion date set by the former Coalition Government for the full four lane and Gympie bypass projects to be achieved.
Mr Truss said he thanked all of those who participated in the survey and said the results will help him to pursue priority local issues in the Federal Parliament.
