WHILE Moyne Shire welcomed the $11.1 million commitment from incumbent Wannon MP and Liberal Party candidate, Dan Tehan to upgrade some of its remote roads, Mayor Ian Smith has called on all Federal candidates to match a further commitment for critical dairy farming roads in the Shire.

The funding announced by Mr Tehan on Monday was under the Remote Roads Upgrade Pilot Program, and is money in the bank to upgrade 31.35 kilometres of roads in the Woorndoo and Chatsworth area over a two-year period.

Cr Smith said he was ecstatic that Council’s application had been successful, and the commitment announced by Mr Tehan would make a huge difference to road safety in that area.

“This will upgrade the worst sections of the Hamilton-Chatsworth Road, Chatsworth-Bolac Road, and the Woorndoo-Chatsworth Road,” Cr Smith said.

“Council’s annual roads budget is around $10 million, so (combined with) this funding, is a bit more than double that and will ensure over the next two years we are spending $15 million to repair and upgrade our local roads.

“It’s a massive outcome for Council and we thank the Australian Government for providing this funding."

Cr Smith said the upgrades would also improve safety for visitors, whose GPS systems often send them along these roads on the way to the Grampians or Great Ocean Road.

“These devices are sending them down roads that they aren’t used to driving on and it creates a serious safety issue,” he said.

Mr Tehan also announced a re-elected Coalition Government commitment to provide a further $3.6 million to Moyne Shire Council to upgrade key roads in the Grasmere area as part of a local roads package.

Cr Smith said the funding would go towards upgrades of Grasmere Road and Cooramook Road, key routes for agricultural freight, but hoped the road upgrade would be delivered no matter who won the election on May 21.

“This is a really important project for the community and for our agriculture sector, (and) ideally, we would love to see other candidates match this commitment so it can be delivered,” he said.

“Grasmere Road carries over 750 vehicles per day and, Cooramook Road at least 430 vehicles - they are key roads that link dairy farms to processors at Allansford and Koroit, but also other livestock and cropping farms to key service providers.

“Upgrades would allow for high performance freight vehicles to use the roads, which means trucks would be able to carry more freight in one trip.

“That in turn increases efficiency and productivity for farmers, but also reduces heavy vehicle movements, which improves safety for all users and reduces emissions.”

Cr Smith said it was a project that ticked all the boxes and he called on other candidates to match the pledge for the benefit of the community and the agricultural sector.

“We’d love to see everyone commit so these important upgrades that will improve road safety and support our farmers will be delivered no matter who wins the election,” he said.

“I’ll gladly meet with any candidate who is interested in this project to take them through the benefits the upgrades would bring for every road user and our farmers.”