THE Federal Labor Party has announced it will fund three major upgrade projects along Western Highway through AusLink 2 if the party is elected at next month’s federal election.
The Labor Party has promised to pay:
– $160 million of the $200m realignment of Anthony’s Cutting between Melton and Bacchus Marsh;
– $404m of the $505m duplication of the highway from Ballarat to Stawell; and
– $40m of a $50m project to provide additional overtaking lanes and rest areas between Stawell and the South Australian border.
The Family First Party welcomed the announcement, but questioned why Labor had not allocated money to improve the Princes Highway, particularly between Colac and the South Australian border, which the party described as a death trap.
Family First leader and Victorian Senator Steve Fielding said the Princes Highway was a notorious stretch of road and deserved funding as it was one of the main corridors between Melbourne and Adelaide.
“Both major parties ignore the fact that there have been 30 fatalities on this road since the year 2000,” Senator Fielding said.
