GIVEN the significance of the Woolsthorpe-Heywood Road to food and fibre transportation and the district’s contribution as Victoria’s largest food and fibre region by value, to the economy in a globally competitive market, major improvements to the road are long overdue.

Residents and truck drivers met at Bessiebelle earlier this week to voice their concerns about the condition of the road.

South West Coast MP, Roma Britnell and Moyne Shire’s councillor, Jim Doukas, were also in attendance to discuss the multiple issues with the Woolsthorpe-Heywood Road, causing residents and local businesses expense and anxiety over many years.

Woolsthorpe-Heywood Road is a 75-kilometre carriageway gazetted for b-double and road train use that is the responsibility of the State Government, but involves cooperation with the Glenelg and Moyne Shires for maintenance and upgrades.

Low hanging limbs, rough surfaces, narrow and single carriage ways, with some sections permanently sign posted at 60 kilometres, another section with a ‘rough surfaces’ sign in place for over 20 years, broken edges, riddled with potholes and poor visibility from dust, are just some of the issues with the large volume of road users must contend.

At the meeting, a local driver parked his double deck cattle truck, 4.6 metres in height within height regulation, on the side of the road, to demonstrate that the branches from roadside gums and black wattle, batter his truck, especially when having to get off the road if another vehicle is travelling in the opposite direction.

Ms Britnell stated she was frustrated that she has been campaigning for improvements to this road the entire time she has been in parliament.

“Although they have made some improvements, there really needs to be an upgrade to the full length of the road to adequately accommodate the number and weight of b-doubles and road trains, for which this road has been gazetted,” Ms Britnell said.

Local producers compete in a global market

“We have local farmers and producers using this road every day who are competing in a global market,” she said.

“Yet this road is not fit for purpose.

“As number one in the state for food and fibre production and considering the contribution the south west region makes to the Victorian economy, our local producers of meat, wool, and dairy among other industries that use this road daily, simply deserve better.”

Ms Britnell said she has made several representations to the State Government’s Roads and Transport Ministers, over many years, the replies to which invariably throw responsibility back onto the shire.

Russian Roulette

Local truck company, Fry Cartage and Contracting, driver/operator, Adam Fry, said that his family’s company vehicles regularly incurred damage.

“This road costs us a fortune,” he said.

When advised that VicRoads stated they regularly inspect the road, in reference to the danger the  low hanging limbs present, Mr Fry responded that “obviously, they’re looking down and not up.”

The road surface itself was discussed as a major impediment to road safety at the meeting also, having contributed to ongoing maintenance costs on company trucks.

“The old man did a shock absorber mount on one of our trucks last week, snapping it clean off at the chassis.”

Jodi Fry released a media statement on behalf of Fry Cartage and Contracting earlier this week, expressing fear that driving on the Woolsthorpe-Heywood Road was “like playing Russian roulette with (their) lives.”

“As a local resident who owns and runs multiple businesses for the Woolsthorpe-Heywood Road, along one of its worst sections of road – we live in fear that the next accident will be fatal.

Southbank gets a billion but regional transport nothing

“My greatest fear is that despite continued pleas for a safe road and work environment – it is going to take this ‘city centric’ Dan Andrews government, a death before they take our claims seriously.

“Can you believe that this government is giving ‘Southbank’ a facelift, worth billions, while ignoring regional needs for safer roads.

“South west roads are amongst the worst in the state but to ignore a b-double freight route.

“The road needs to be two-lane wide all the way from Woolsthorpe to Ettrick.

“Regional Roads Victoria have refused to acknowledge them and replied with nothing more than political spin,” Mrs Fry said.

Bureaucratic merry-go-round

Cr Jim Doukas said that it is a bureaucratic merry-go-round between the Department of Transport, who put responsibility onto the shire and the shire then subsequently applies for permits from the Department of Land, Water, Environment and Planning.

“The shire cops the blame for the lot,” Cr Doukas said.

“If the shire is granted permission, it’s only to cut one third of the vegetation, so it grows back in no time.

“Not only does the vegetation cause damage to vehicles on the Woolsthorpe-Heywood Road but also they tend to fall on farmers’ fence lines, as we’ve seen today.”

“Livestock can then get out onto the road and be killed at a cost to the farmer - or cause an accident for which the farmer is potentially liable.

“There needs to be a reduction in red tape and definitive responsibility assigned for continued management of the vegetation,” Cr Doukas said.

As spokesperson for the Glenelg Shire said, “as a rural, isolated Shire, a well-maintained road network is critical for our current and future prosperity.”

“We would greatly welcome further funding from VicRoads and Regional Roads Victoria to upgrade and maintain roads such as the Woolsthorpe-Heywood Road.”

Review to come

Green Triangle Freight Action Plan committee member since 2005 and current chair, Cr Karen Stephens said the Woolsthorpe-Heywood Road is very clearly a VicRoads responsibility, including the roadside vegetation.

“It is not a council road,” she said

 “However, the Green Triangle Freight Action Plan Committee will undertake a review of the road to assess what traffic is using that road.

“Sometimes changes in industry have resulted in new freight patterns and we need to investigate why the Woolsthorpe-Heywood Road is so neglected.

“I think the committee need to step this up - we look at safety and efficiencies along all these routes - we will have another look at this route and apply to have it prioritised for maintenance.”