Regional road reporting blitz

Regional drivers are being urged to report every pothole and road hazard as part of a two week 'regional road reporting blitz' after a new analysis showed a 75 per cent drop in Victoria's road repair target in five years.
The Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) based the analysis on the State Government's budget figures. The analysis revealed regional road resurfacing and rehabilitation targets had fallen from 11,800 thousand square metres in 2021–22 to just 2859 thousand square metres in 2026–27.
VFF president Ryan Milgate said reports from drivers would help demonstrate the scale of Victoria's regional road crisis.
"Victoria's country roads are the worst they have ever been. Many are literally falling apart, and some are straight-up death traps."
"It's a sobering fact that when driving on country roads, you're five times more likely to lose your life than when driving in the city. We have had over a generation of inaction on rural road infrastructure and that needs addressing urgently."
The VFF call for action was followed with an announcement yesterday the Liberal and Nationals' $5 billion commitment to repair and rebuild Victoria's roads, eliminate one million potholes and re-establish a proper, planned system of preventative road maintenance.
Member for Narracan Wayne Farnham said there had been a severe lack of investment in road maintenance and road infrastructure during the current term of government.
"The roads are stuffed. We've got to fix them," he said.
"Common comments I hear when I am out and about, are from people about the dire state of our roads. The announcement of the $5 billion to repair and rebuild roads is a direct reflection of community expectations. That's why only a Jess Wilson led Coalition government will fix our crumbling roads."
The Coalition announced the $5 billion would be invested in road maintenance over four years, a 25 per cent increase on current spending.
In May this year the Allan state government announced a record investment of $1.04 billion to rebuild, repair and resurface roads across the state, as part of the Victorian 2026/27 budget, with 70 per cent of the funds going to regional areas.
However, the Nationals' Member for Eastern Victoria Melina Bath called out the government's road maintenance program labelling it a "pothole pantomime," after sections of the Princes Fwy between Nar Nar Goon and Warragul were again experiencing deteriorating road conditions following 35.8 millimetres of rainfall at the start of July.
"The Princes Fwy is a recurring pothole hotspot, and motorists are fed up with the road continually failing in these same locations," Ms Bath said.
"The recurring potholes expose Labor's woeful road maintenance standards and ongoing neglect of our regional roads."
Mr Milgate said temporary patches were no substitute for rebuilding roads properly and drivers, farmers and rural communities were paying the price so the VFF had called for a "regional road reporting blitz."
"No longer are dangerous roads an isolated problem, it's a widespread issue and the more we report it, the louder our calls become to get them fixed," Mr Milgate said.
Drivers can use VicRoads' online road issue reporting system, call 13 11 70 or upload their shots to Snap, Send, Solve to report hazards including potholes, damaged road surfaces, faded line markings and damaged signs.