QFF joins chorus calling for political parties to Fix the Bruce

Ahead of the upcoming State and Federal Government elections, QFF has joined forces with leading peak bodies calling on political parties to commit to a 10-year funding plan to fix the Bruce Highway.

The Bruce is a highway of state significance, providing a crucial conduit for agriculture and other regional industries. The fact that it has an average Fatal and Serious Injury (FSI) crash rate three to five times higher than comparable national highways in New South Wales and Victoria is unacceptable.

Large stretches of road are rated at two-star on a five-star safety ranking scale, which typically feature roadside hazards, narrow shoulders, and undivided lanes which increase the risk of head-on collisions.

Widening narrow sections and bridges, progressively duplicating the road to introduce dual carriageway and installing more overtaking lanes, will not only improve the road’s safety but will also enhance the livability of regional Queensland communities and the development of the state’s economy.

Conversely, a failure to adequately plan, prioritise and invest in our state’s infrastructure will jeopardize the future efficiency of the agricultural supply chain and the liveability of regional communities.

Unfortunately a change to the federal-state government funding split from 80-20 to 50-50 is undermining the ability of the Queensland Government to advance these much-needed upgrades.

QFF is joined by RACQ , Local Government Association of Queensland , Royal Australasian College of Surgeons , Queensland, Queensland Trucking Association Ltd , and Queensland Tourism Industry Council in calling for the elimination of all two-star sections of the Bruce Highway and a return to the fairer 80-20 funding split.

In addition to calling for action on the Bruce, QFF has also outlined a number of additional transport and infrastructure policy priorities ahead of the October State Government election.

These include a commitment to addressing the state’s road maintenance backlog, embedding climate resilience and flood proofing where practical, implementing the recommendations outlined in the Queensland Transport and Logistics Council ’s?‘Supporting QEJP Windfarm Transportation’ report and prioritising the development of a business case to progress Queensland’s Inland Highway initiative.

You can learn more about these policy actions on the QFF website at https://www.qff.org.au/2024-election-priorities-transport-and-infrastructure/