Member for Cootamundra Steph Cooke has announced NSW Government funding of more than $1.3 million to improve road freight efficiency in Temora Shire.
Maxwells Lane is being upgraded to accommodate heavy trucks and eliminate a 54km detour thanks to a Fixing Country Roads grant of $1,376,000.
“Road freight is such an important part of our working lives and the economies of towns and villages across the wonderful Cootamundra electorate, so this upgrade project is fantastic news,” Ms Cooke said.
“The sealing and culvert replacement work on Maxwells Lane will enable B-doubles to use the road, which translates to around 2000 vehicle movements every year.
“And using Maxwells Lane means cutting out a 54km detour every trip, around 40 minutes of time saved.
“In the freight industry, saving time is saving money and that will help economic growth through efficiency.
“Trucks will use the Tara-Bectric Road, which boasts a new bridge I had the pleasure of opening in March thanks to a $1.45 million Fixing Country Roads grant, and can link in to Maxwells Lane when they are carrying agricultural and quarry freight,” Ms Cooke added.
Minister for Roads, Maritime and Freight Melinda Pavey, said that the Fixing Country Roads program had reached almost $346 million, funding vital road upgrades delivering better connections to local communities.
“Freight is worth more than $60 billion to the NSW economy. It is critical that NSW has a state of the art freight network as the global marketplace continues to become more competitive,” Mrs Pavey said.
“Since 2011, The Nationals have delivered more than six hundred kilometres of sealed roads, almost 200 bridges upgraded and 28 truck washes built or upgraded, all delivered through the Fixing Country Roads program” Mrs Pavey said.
The Nationals in government have invested $557 million into 310 projects across NSW, under the Fixing Country Roads and Fixing Country Rail programs.
More details can be found online at: www.transport.nsw.gov.au/projects/programs/fixing-country-roads and www.transport.nsw.gov.au/projects/programs/fixing-country-rail.
