Melba Highway is falling apart

Roads across regional Victoria are suffering from neglect and a lack of maintenance, and the Melba Highway is no exception.

Speaking in Parliament, State Liberal Member for Eildon, Cindy McLeish, called on the Minister for Roads to immediately provide funding and resources to fix the problems on the Melba Highway.

Ms McLeish said, “Potholes, broken surfaces and ruts along the Melba Highway grow by the day, both in size and in number. The condition of the highway is definitely not helped by poor drainage which plagues the road network.”

“It is hard to tell exactly where the worst spots are because there are so many. I drive along the Melba frequently and have seen the damage first hand.”

“There are many areas that need attention. The State Labor Government has forgotten this highway and certainly Victorian roads.”

The Melba Highway is a key highway for north–south traffic. It is a popular route for those coming from the eastern suburbs of Melbourne to the Hume Highway through Benalla. It is constantly busy with local and tourist traffic, trucks, horse floats, caravans, B-doubles, delivery and freight. When Victoria lifts restrictions post-Covid, road conditions will only deteriorate with the large volume of traffic.

Ms McLeish has been fighting for various road repairs along the Melba Highway since 2016 and has never seen it in a worse state.

“The damage caused along the Melba Highway is making driving conditions dangerous. The Andrews Labor government needs to stop ignoring the deteriorating condition of regional roads and take action to repair them.”

In 2016 the State Labor Government distributed 900 metres of controversial centre wire rope barriers at a cost of $555 000 yet have not invested in significant road repairs to the surface, to the potholes and to the shoulders. Upgrades are needed to add more overtaking lanes and slip lanes to help people turn safely.

“What drivers do not need is more ‘Rough surface’ signs or reductions in speed limits at dodgy patches.”

“The Melba Highway desperately needs to be invested in, and the government has overlooked it,” Ms McLeish concludes.