PRESSURE is mounting on the State Government to reinstate 110kph speed limits on Carpenter Rocks Road and the Riddoch Highway as its pre-election promise is yet to be fulfilled.
Five months after the state election, Member for Mount Gambier Troy Bell demanded the Marshall Government reverse the 10kph speed limit reduction on the two major roads.
The latest push follows a letter from Police Minister Corey Wingard to Grant District Council in which the Liberal MP says infrastructure upgrades are essential for these roads before the speed limit can be increased.
In the letter, Mr Wingard acknowledged the State Government’s promise to reverse the reduction in speed limits, but says the Transport Department had determined upgrades needed to be undertaken.
Mr Wingard said close to $900,000 was provided to complete shoulder sealing works along the Riddoch Highway between Mount Gambier and Port MacDonnell, with works completed in May.
Shoulder sealing works along the highway between Keith and Mount Gambier have also been completed.
According to Mr Wingard’s office, a speed limit review was currently under way and anticipated to be completed within the next two months.
While Mr Bell welcomed the review, he urged the department to “get on with it” and return the speed limit as promised before the election.
“It should take two weeks, not two months,” he said.
“The State Government needs to immediately raise the speed limit back to 110kph, otherwise they are going to be known as the government that says one thing before an election and does another thing after.”
Speed limits were cut on eight regional roads across South Australia last year under the previous Labor administration’s “2020 Towards Zero” road safety strategy.
Ahead of the state election, the South Australian Liberals promised to reverse the speed limits from what they described as a “city-centric” and “knee-jerk response” to a rise in fatalities.
Since the Liberals were elected to government, Mr Bell has quizzed Transport Minister Stephan Knoll on two occasions on when the speed limit would be reversed.
When asked in May, Mr Knoll was non-committal in providing a definitive time frame, instead saying he was “looking forward to being able to give a more specific answer”.
On the second occasion, Mr Knoll told the parliament the Liberals’ promise to reinstate 110kph limits would happen “all in good time”.
Earlier this year, a petition with more than 70 signatures requesting the reinstatement of the 110kph limit on the Riddoch Highway was delivered to Mr Bell’s office.
In addition to the petition, he said a number of constituents had raised the issue with him as a matter of urgency.
Grant Councillor Gill Clayfield echoed Mr Bell’s comments, saying a number of ratepayers had condemned the lower speed limit.
“People are not happy about it and they want to see it returned back to 110kph,” she said.
“Before the election, the new government had given a commitment to look at the speed limit.
“They have spent nearly $900,000 on shoulder sealing and they should now reinstate the speed limit now work has been completed.
“As a district council, we have to keep at them and keep pressure on the minister to honour their commitment.”
Labor Legislative Council deputy leader Clare Scriven said the State Government’s policy was solely “cheap political point scoring” and called on the Liberals to commit funding to road infrastructure in the upcoming budget.
“They characterised the decision as ‘city-centric’ and alleged the decision was based on theory rather than a practical understanding of country roads,” she said.
“They are now shown to be the ones who did not understand safety on country roads, with the Transport Department adamant that upgrades are essential for the higher speed limit.
“The funds need to be allocated for work immediately.
“If funds are not in the budget for these works to happen straight away, then it will be clear their ‘Regions Matter’ rhetoric is just an empty slogan.”
Mr Wingard’s office said budget announcements would be made by Treasurer Rob Lucas on September 4.
