AN EXTRA $3,742,190 will be made available to local road projects in the Manning, federal member for Lyne Dr David Gillespie announced yesterday.
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Initially, Greater Taree City Council was to receive $7,114,448 in federal funding under the Roads to Recovery program from 2014 to 2018, however, Dr Gillespie has been advised by deputy prime minister Warren Truss that funding will now be boosted by nearly $4 million in the Manning Valley over the next two years for local roads.
Dr Gillespie said the $10,856,638 allocation to Greater Taree City Council was part of an overall Roads to Recovery funding package totalling $33,468,470 in his electorate as a result of the passage through federal parliament of the fuel excise indexation legislation.
"This funding is also in addition to over $54 million in Federal Financial Assistance Grants, Road Blackspot, Bridge Renewal and Community Development program funding that the Greater Taree City Council area will receive for local infrastructure and services over the same period," Dr Gillespie said.
"While it is not within my jurisdiction of responsibilities as the federal member, many locals have raised numerous local road priorities with me over the past couple of years including the need for improvements to Old Bar, Manning Point, Wingham, Gloucester, Harrington, Black Head, Wallanbah, Landsowne and Diamond Beach roads as well as general maintenance of many other local roads right across the Manning.
"I would like to take this opportunity to encourage council to maximise the use of these funds by opening up the tender process for both local road projects and road maintenance, similar to their approach with the Dyers and Dickensens Bridge projects so that we get maximum bang for our buck with this road funding windfall."
The extra $1.105 billion is being made available to councils across Australia for vital road upgrades through the Roads to Recovery Program over the next two years.
"Every cent of the extra $23 billion revenue raised through the excise over the next decade and beyond will be invested in road infrastructure. Councils and residents in Manning can now see more road works in our local area.
Dr Gillespie said the Roads to Recovery programme had been a popular initiative since the Coalition Government introduced it in 2001.
"This is a massive boost in funding for our region's road network and I am looking forward to seeing the additional opportunities this decision will create for our councils," he added.