THE results of the RACV’s My Country Road survey have painted a concerning picture of road safety in Victoria, with the Melba Highway from Coldstream to Yea being voted the worst regional road in the state.
This highway, frequently travelled by Mansfield residents, was highlighted for its dangerous conditions, primarily due to potholes and poor maintenance.
The survey gathered insights from over 7000 Victorians and revealed that potholes and deteriorating road surfaces were the top safety issues, with 64 per cent of participants identifying these concerns—up significantly from 46 per cent in 2021.
RACV Head of Policy James Williams expressed concerns over the survey results.
“Over 7000 Victorians have provided us with data about safety on our regional roads,” he said.
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“The number of responses received is a strong indicator that Victorians are concerned about safety on regional roads and are calling for urgent improvement.”
Mr Williams emphasised the importance of using this data to advocate for better road conditions.
“Sixty per cent of survey participants think that improving road surfaces should be the priority road safety solution,” he added.
“While in 2021, dangerous driver behaviour was the biggest safety concern on regional roads, this year poor road conditions received more than double the number of responses as dangerous driver behaviour.”
Local MP Cindy McLeish, who has been vocal about the deteriorating conditions and inadequate maintenance of regional roads, was not surprised by the survey’s findings.
“It is no surprise that the survey found the Melba Highway between Coldstream and Yea to be the worst regional road in the state,” she said.
“The state of our roads, cuts to funding, maintenance, poor quality, and oversight of repairs are also the number one complaints to my office.
“Constituents have been contacting me with horror stories of damage to their cars, tyres, rims, trailers, and caravans all due to the poor condition and dangerous potholes in our roads.”
Ms McLeish recounted several incidents reported to her.
“One constituent rang VicRoads recently as his wife blew two tyres on a bad section of road; he was told they had the road as already been fixed.
"Another made a claim to VicRoads for the $1800 worth of damages he suffered and was offered a paltry $300.”
She criticised the state government’s response to these issues.
“I have lost count of the number of times I have called on this state government to fix our roads," said Ms McLeish.
“I always get the same old rhetoric: unprecedented rainfall, it’s in our maintenance program, or they put up a sign warning of rough surface ahead.
“This is not good enough.”
The survey also highlighted other problematic roads, including the Tylden-Woodend Road from Woodend to Tylden, Kilmore Road from Monegeetta to Gisborne, and the Goulburn Valley Highway from Nagambie to Shepparton.
The most dangerous intersection identified was the junction of the Midland Highway and Howard Street in Epsom, north of Bendigo.
With the data from this survey, the RACV will aim to push for significant commitments from the state government and local councils to address these critical safety issues and improve the condition of Victoria’s regional roads.
The full results of the My Country Road survey are available at racv.com.au/haveyoursay.
