Forward by Geoff Howard MP, committee chair.

The effective management of roads is important in maintaining Victoria’s economic and social infrastructure. Roads, particularly arterial roads and freeways, connect us and our towns and suburbs. They provide us with access to work, education, and health and social services. They play a critical role in the State’s numerous industries, such as tourism and agriculture, and they facilitate the movement of freight and goods across Victoria and into surrounding states. When maintained well, roads contribute to enhanced accessibility and improved safety outcomes for all road users.

It is clear that across the community there are growing concerns about the quality of Victorian roads, particularly those in rural and regional parts of the State. The Committee understands that these issues are not specific to Victoria and exist throughout Australia. However, with the inquiry receiving over 330 submissions, this is clearly a topical issue for local communities, and individuals travelling in and around country Victoria.

A key purpose of the inquiry was to consider the effectiveness of VicRoads in maintaining country roads. This was a common theme in the majority of submissions. In recent times, VicRoads has implemented various policy initiatives and program changes in response to ongoing issues with its state-wide maintenance program, much of which was instigated following a 2017 report by the Victorian Auditor-General’s Office. VicRoads’ five year engagement strategy, released in 2016, has also resulted in enhanced community consultation efforts across the State, including in regional areas.

Due to time constraints, it was not possible for the Committee to conduct a wide-ranging inquiry before the completion of the 58th Parliament. However, the Committee recommends that the inquiry be referred to the appropriate committee in the next Parliament for full investigation. Importantly, this will enable a comprehensive public hearing schedule to provide the appropriate platform for individuals and organisations to speak directly to a parliamentary committee about the issues raised in the terms of reference. A full investigation will also allow adequate time to consider how recent reforms within VicRoads have improved its effectiveness in managing Victoria’s country roads.

The key purpose of this interim report is therefore to provide a detailed account of the many submissions received, and to identify common themes and issues raised. On behalf of the Committee, I wish to thank the many individuals and groups who made submissions, and through their time and ideas, contributed greatly to the inquiry.