WA'S local road network needs an extra $150 million spent annually on maintenance, according to a report released last week.
The Report on Local Government Road Assets and Expenditure, 2008/09, released at the WA Transport and Roads Forum in Bunbury, provides information on the funds required to maintain and improve the road network as well as resources committed by Councils, State and Federal Governments.
WA Local Government Association President, Mayor Troy Pickard, said the report highlighted a widening gap between funds committed and those required to maintain the 128,000km of local road network.
Mayor Pickard said although local governments spent nearly $370m on maintaining the road network in 2008/09, it was still short of the required $520m.
"This annual shortfall of $150.9m has increased from $93.1m in 2004/05, despite an increased investment from local government," he said.
"The report shows, quite simply, the money being spent isn't enough and we are falling further and further behind.
"This has the potential to impact on all road users."
Mayor Pickard said the local government sector continued to invest in local road networks, providing 52 per cent of its total road expenditure from its own resources and without additional investment, the infrastructure renewal backlog would continue to grow.
"Safer roads and roadsides are proven to have a positive impact in reducing the number of deaths and serious injuries on our roads," Mayor Pickard said.
"We need to address the degradation of the network in order for any safety improvement initiatives to have a maximum impact.
"And we will be calling on both State and Federal governments to contribute ongoing and secure funding for the network to ensure it is given the attention that it so obviously requires."
Local government manages 128,147 kilometres of local roads which equates to 72pc of the WA road network.
This includes 941 bridges and 11,000km of footpaths and dual-use paths in the road reserve.
As at 30 June 2009, the local government road network was estimated to have a replacement value of $18.98 billion.
Wickepin Shire Council president Steve Martin said local governments needed to be more strategic when allocating funds for regional road networks.
"We're not going to catch up all at once," he said. "It's a combination of local government spending money wisely on their road networks and maybe looking at the access they give to some trucks.
"At some stage, as the responsibility keeps falling back onto local government, we've got to look at where the trucks go.
"We can't have the whole network with nine metre bitumen roads everywhere, so we have to be a bit more strategic with our spending.
"We have to work closely with the State Government to make sure, first of all they are aware of the problem, which they are and then they allocate appropriate funds for the task."
Mr Martin also said if part or all of the narrow gauge rail network was closed it would only make the local road situation worse.
"It's already an under-funded road network, if we suddenly receive freight that used to be the responsibility of the State Government and private business, it will just make things worse," he said.
"As the freight task increases, whether it's grain or wood chips or any other commodity, all of that freight goes on local roads for a part of its journey.
"These local roads need looking at now and the State Government has a Towards Zero policy that should include funding for safer local roads.
"Our emphasis is on providing safer local roads."
