$45 billion behind and counting

Announcement posted by NRMA Motoring & Services 01 Sep 2011

A plan to address a $45 billion shortfall in funding for roads in NSW must be the focus of the NSW Government’s first budget, according to NRMA Motoring & Services.

In its NSW Budget submission to the State Government, the NRMA has put an approximate price-tag on the cost borne out of inaction on either building or upgrading six of the state‘s most high priority roads.

Indicative estimates outlined in the NRMA‘s submission refer only to:

Completing the M4 Motorway to the City ($8 billion)
Duplicating the M5 Tunnel and widen M5 Western Motorway ($5 billion)
Building the connection from the F3 to the Sydney Orbital ($6 billion)
Upgrading the Pacific Highway by the 2016 deadline ($10 billion)
Upgrading the Princes Highway ($5 billion)
Completing the F6 from Waterfall to the CBD ($10 billion)

NRMA President Wendy Machin said the NSW Government, which was elected on the back of a strong platform to tackle the state‘s fledgling infrastructure, needed to get its first budget right.

"In many respects the O‘Farrell Government‘s first budget will be its most important," Ms Machin said.

"One 6 September the NSW Government has an opportunity to outline its vision to deliver the transport infrastructure NSW needs today and for future growth.

Nobody expects the Government to fix the extensive problems we have outlined in our Budget submission overnight – put simply there are too many roads that either need to be built or maintained and the price tag that runs into the tens of billions.

However the public does want to see a plan and it wants action on our roads – if the Government gets its first budget right it can help lay the platform for four years of solid infrastructure investment and reform."

Ms Machin said a key priority for the NSW Government would be to identify creative ways to fund the state‘s infrastructure projects.

"In the lead-up to the NSW Election this year the NRMA provided both parties with a comprehensive report conducted on how to fund the completion of the M4 to the city and rejuvenate Parramatta Road," Ms Machin said.

"We encourage the Government to look seriously at that proposal and consider other ways to fund some of Sydney‘s other much-needed road projects."

The NRMA‘s Budget submission calls on the NSW Government to address a number of metropolitan and regional roads that are in urgent need of funding.

The submission also calls on the NSW Government to scrap the unpopular motor vehicle weight tax‘ introduced by the previous Government to help fund the NSW Transport Plan.

Key projects include but are not limited to:

Sydney’s Missing Motorways

Work with the Australian Government to secure planning and construction funds for:

Duplication of the M5 motorway and widening of the M5 West motorway
M4 Extension to the CBD
Connection of the F3 to Sydney Orbital
F6 Extension to the CBD; and
Implement the Northern Beaches Transport Corridor Strategy to tackle growing congestion in that part of the city.

Regional Highways