Survey on Victorian country roads

Riders around Australia have been urged to take part in a survey on whether Victoria’s country roads should be managed and maintained by VicRoads or local councils.

The state is a Mecca for riders from all over the country for the World Superbikes and MotoGP at Phillip Island.

They also visit to ride some of the great motorcycling roads, such as the Great Alpine Rd, Great Ocean Road, Black Spur and Reefton Spur.

However, the condition of some of these roads has fallen into disrepair under VicRoads control.

Now the state’s Parliamentary Law Reform, Road and Community Safety Committee has invited submissions on whether road control should be handed over to councils.

Send submissions

Click here to make your submission via email.

Click here to make your submission online.

Or send your submission via snail mail to The Executive Officer, Law Reform, Road and Community Safety Committee, Parliament House, Spring St,East Melbourne Vic 3002.

The deadline is Monday, January 15, 2018.

Riders urged to submit

Rider representative group executives have urged riders from around the country to make submissions as it affects them, as well.

Motorcycle Council of NSW spokesman Bob Madell says he has passed the survey “far and wide” and made a personal submission.

“I included comments that the promulgation of this request for submissions should have been made more public, not apparently hidden,” he says.

Victorian Independent Riders Group spokesman Damien Codognotto questions the timing of the survey when many people are on holidays.

“It’s often the way when the public service does not want too many responses,” he says.

“They call for comment over the holidays so most people won’t comment. Maybe that is the case with this call for input.

“Interstate riders should voice their opinions, too. Lots of touring riders visit Victoria for events and attractions. They spend money here and should have a say on what directly effects their safety.”

More surveys

The Parliamentary survey follows a VicRoads online survey last year asking riders where they should spend the money collected from the $70 annual motorcycle safety levy.

The survey follows the revelation in August that $21.7m of the $66.6m collected from riders since the levy began in 2002 has been unspent.

The online survey has now closed and we will provide the results when they are available.