Dubbo Regional councillor Josh Black calls on the government for $10 million to fix the regions roads

"Whilst the State Government's recent road funding announcement is welcome, suggestions that Dubbo Regional Council's allocation will be only $5 million falls a very long way short of what is needed," Cr Black said.

"I believe that our council should be allocated at least $10 million to help fix some of the roads crisis that has been brought about by chronic underfunding and cost shifting onto council from both State and Federal Governments, which is then made worse by the wet weather."

The NSW premier Dom Perrottet announced $500 million would be on offer for both regional and metropolitan councils to patch up their battling road network.

The half-a-billion dollar road repair package was announced in Molong just months after Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Sam Farraway launched a $50 million recovery fund in October 2022.

The $50 million road repair fund was shared among 95 councils, which numerous regional mayors slammed for not going far enough.

Dubbo Regional Council received close to $1 million from that particular recovery fund for urgent pothole repairs.

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Cr Black said the previously awarded $955,000 for 'pothole repair' was "embarrassingly short" of what was required.

One month later, in November 2022 the NSW Government announced it would fast-track $15 million in emergency funding for urgent road repairs to 'restore access to flood-impacted areas.

Dubbo Regional Council didn't receive any funds, something that Cr Black said he was still "disappointed" about.

"Dubbo Council had a $40 million roads backlog before the flooding and wet weather, so that number has blown right out now," he said.

"Many of the roads needing the most repair work are in the old Wellington Shire area, such as Saxa Road, Gollan Road and The Burrendong Way.

"It simply isn't fair on Dubbo ratepayers to now be forced to spend tens of millions of dollars fixing Wellington's old roads when during the forced amalgamation the State Government failed to provide proper compensation to fix those roads.

"They have that chance now."

Councillor Black noted that the NRMA recently reported that it would cost approximately $2.5 billion to repair the state's road network.

"We need a lot of money in a hurry from the State and Federal Governments if we are going to have safe roads to drive on anytime soon," he said.

Dubbo Regional Council maintains 1520 kilometres of sealed and 1356 kilometres of unsealed local roads, along with 242 kilometres of regional roads.

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