MEMBER for Mount Gambier Troy Bell has called on the State Government to honour its election commitment and reinstate the 110kph speed limit on the Riddoch Highway and Carpenter Rocks Road.
The independent MP quizzed Transport Minister Stephan Knoll on when the decision to decrease speed limits on the two roads would be overturned in parliament last week.
Speed limits were cut on eight regional roads across the state last year under the previous Labor Government’s “2020 Towards Zero Together” road safety strategy.
According to the department, the reductions were determined on roads with the worst crash history.
Three Limestone Coast roads – Carpenter Rocks Road, part of the Riddoch Highway and Clay Wells Road in the neighbouring MacKillop electorate – saw a default rural speed limit of 100kph imposed.
The Liberals committed to restoring the 110kph speed limit on all eight roads if elected after March 17 and review speed limits across the state “on a systematic basis”.
When asked by Mr Bell when the limits would be reversed, Mr Knoll was non-committal in providing a definitive time frame, saying he was “looking forward to being able to give a more specific answer to the member”.
“I do not want this answer to be in any way construed that we are walking away from our commitment,” Mr Knoll said.
“We will be reinstating those speed limits, but after only having come to government eight weeks ago, we want to be apprised of all the information and everything that is necessary to make sure we do right by regional South Australians.
“What we are working through at the moment and what we said always – and that is why I am so proud to be implementing our Royalties for Regions scheme – is looking at what needs to be done in order to help improve not just those roads, but all roads across country South Australia.”
A petition with close to 70 signatures requesting the re-instatement of 110kph on the Riddoch Highway was delivered to Mr Bell’s office earlier this week.
Mr Bell said the decreases to the speed limit were undertaken with little consultation with the community and Grant District Council.
“I encourage the regional Liberal MPs to advocate on behalf of regional South Australians to ensure upgrade and maintenance works are scheduled for our regional roads,” he said.
“The maintenance and upgrade of rural road infrastructure was a low priority for the previous State Labor Government, which instead spent millions of dollars on major roads in Adelaide.”
