The Rollands Plains community is calling on Port Macquarie-Hastings Council to upgrade rural roads systematically and urgently.
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The residents’ group particularly wants Bril Bril Road upgraded and sealed. It’s a through road from Bellangry to Telegraph Point, used by a variety of traffic include heavy vehicles travelling daily along the entire length.
They want the Clarefield Dungay Creek Road crossing between 328 and 370 raised with one-metre culverts to make a safe crossing in flood times.
And they want the state of the road at the Pop Hole site to be improved and flooding issues addressed.
“Rural roads are under-funded with no plan for upgrading unsealed roads,” said Janette Jones from the Rollands Plains community group.
“Our roads are deteriorating, and maintenance can’t keep pace with it. We need regular maintenance, roadside vegetation maintenance.
“Council has just cleared the roads in this area and budget constraints mean only addressing the issue every five years, whereas the vegetation needs to be maintained every two years,” she added.
The group say the number of rural roads council is responsible for stretches the budget way too thinly. They want state and federal government funding to help tackle the backlog.
“We want a return to the original policy of rural road upgrade where every year sections of unsealed roads were upgraded to sealed,” said Mrs Jones.
“Here at Rollands Plains we are very active in maintaining the community hall, and sporting reserve, which has just been registered as a regional equine facility,” said Phil Morton from the group.
Group manager for the transport and storm water network, Duncan Clarke said road safety across the Hastings LGA is a priority for council.
“Council has more than 1,300km of sealed and unsealed roads, and over 120 bridges to maintain. We are highly committed to road safety and maintenance across the entire local government area,” he said.