Cindy McLeish, MLA for Eildon

Money that should be used to fix potholes and crumbling road shoulders is being diverted to repair damaged wire rope barriers, it has been revealed.

VicRoads Chief Executive Officer Robyn Seymour said that repairs to damaged wire rope barriers are being funded from the VicRoads Routine Maintenance Fund and from the TAC.

Ms Seymour was questioned in the Victorian Parliament’s Public Accounts and Estimates Committee hearings,

Ms Seymour also stated that ordinarily the fund was used for maintenance such as fixing potholes and cutting grass on roadsides.

Eildon MLA Cindy McLeish said as the rollout of wire rope barriers continues, it is expected that maintenance costs will also rise.

“The Andrews Government has spent a lot of money in rolling out wire rope barriers across the Victoria, but it hasn’t thought about how those barriers will be maintained over time.

“How many potholes will go unfixed, how many roadsides will have dangerously long grass because money is being spent on fixing wire rope barriers?” Ms McLeish asked.

Ms McLeish said theree was a $47.2 million cut from the existing Road Safety Strategy 2013-2022 over the past year.