Holt puts South Coast Highway back on ministerial agenda, Holt
Author: Colin Holt
Published on: 07-April-2011
Nationals’ member for the South West Region Hon. Colin Holt recently met with Transport Minister Troy Buswell in a bid to put the South Coast Highway on the budget agenda after a decade of missed opportunities
South Coast Highway upgrades were committed to by the previous Labor Government in 2000/01 but as a result of a further promise to build the Perth to Mandurah Railway debt free, regional road projects like South Coast Highway had their funding scrapped.
Mr Holt met with Minister Buswell along with former South West MLC Murray Montgomery in Perth recently. The pair emphasised to the Minister the urgent need to significantly fund South Coast Highway focussing on sections near Manypeaks and the Cheynes Beach turnoff.
“The Minister has committed to investigate ways of getting this project supported through the budget process. I recognise there are many demands on the country roads budget, but the case for supporting South Coast Highway is overwhelming.”
Many of the roads in the Great Southern were built in the 1950’s and 60’s and are nearing the end of their operational lives. With the Southdown Mine project near Wellstead likely to kick off in the near future the traffic flows and pressure on the degrading South Coast Highway is only going to increase.
“Regular users of South Coast Highway recognise the need for funding this project is acute and you can be assured I stressed this need to Minister Buswell and will continue to keep this project on his agenda,” said Mr Holt.
