The NSW government says a new, data-driven, self-reporting system will ensure NSW roads are categorised, funded and maintained by the right authority.
The New Approach to Road Recategorisation will give local councils and road managers the ability to apply for category changes to road jurisdictions at any time.
An example of when recategorisation is necessary is when a previously semi-rural area becomes urbanised, or experiences a significant increase in freight volumes.
Gunnedah’s Conadilly Street was recently changed from state responsibility to Gunnedah Shire Council’s authority. This corresponded with a swap of Bloomfield Street from council to state ownership.
NSW Minister for Roads and Regional Transport, Jenny Aitchison, said the new approach to road categorisation delivers a system that is fair, transparent and evidence-based, strengthening the partnership between state and local government in managing the local, regional and state road network.
She said 52 submissions from stakeholders supported a faster, more transparent system.
“Motorists don’t care who owns the roads, or how they are categorised, they just want them to be functional and maintained. This approach will support all road managers to get on with the vital work of maintaining and improving the standard of our roads,” she said.
The new road recategorisation system coincided with the release of AusRAP ratings which assesses the condition of state and regional roads.
As reported previously by the Gunnedah Times, many of the Gunnedah district’s major highways are rated between 2-3 stars out of five. A national target is in place to have 80 per cent of all road travel in the state being taken on state roads rated 3 or more stars by 2030.
