Bathurst election candidates address the issue of roads in the region

Mayors across the region have been calling out for more financial support to address the growing backlog.

The NSW Government has put money on the table, but has it gone far enough?

READ MORE: A start, but still not enough: Bathurst council gets cash for pothole repair

Candidates vying for the seat of Bathurst say more needs to be done to bring the roads up to scratch, and the solutions need to go beyond just funding repairs.

Greens candidate Kay Nankervis has linked the damaged roads to climate change.

"Flooding and incessant rain across the Central West have carved out gigantic potholes in our roads - the like and number we've never seen before," she said.

"Yet another cost of inaction by our governments and across the globe on climate change.

"Every time you hit a post-flood pothole, I urge motorists to think on that brilliant accounting by pro-coal lobbyists who've argued that renewables are too hard, coal and gas are cheaper, so we should let climate change rip."

She said the government has announced funding for repairs, but is doing little to address "bad climate policy".

She did not name any specific regional roads projects to pursue, but said that if she were elected, she would join with the other Greens members to push for climate policies that could prevent further damage.

"We'll keep pushing for a ban on new coal and gas mining, to phase out coal and gas by 2030 and a transition to 100 per cent renewable energy," Ms Nankervis said.

"Just thinking ahead to prevent more catastrophic weather events in decades to come. Keep the road disaster repair bill down that way and keep our roads functioning in top condition more of the time. Prevention is better than cure."

Labor's Cameron Shaw is also considering policy changes after saying that the current government has not done enough to support the local councils in road repairs.

"One of the government's key election promises in 2019 was to transfer 15,000 kilometres of local regional roads to the state before the last election," he said.

"To date, the number of kilometres of regional roads transferred back to the state is zero.

"Had the roads been transferred like promised back in 2019, the state government would have been able to repair the roads without placing the strain on our local councils."

Should he become the local member, Mr Shaw said he would be pushing for the Regional Road Transfer and NSW Road Classification Review to be released, and then make recommendations based on the findings of that report.

Locally, he has also promised to look at raising low-level bridges and repairing roads around Jenolan Caves.

"I want to see these roads safe and inviting to boost our tourism economy and be the thriving attraction it once was," Mr Shaw said.

But what would the incumbent, Paul Toole, do if re-elected?

The Western Advocate asked Mr Toole, the current deputy premier, if his government had gone far enough to support councils in road repairs.

He stood by the funding announcements that have been made in recent months, including the commitment of a further $1 billion for regional roads and to improve the resilience of the road network across the state, which he says will benefit regional communities for generations to come.

"This is on top of the $1.8 billion that has been spent over the past four years," Mr Toole said.

"This has included $500 million for Fixing Local Roads, $500 million for the replacement of timber bridges and $547 million for Fixing Country Roads.

"We have also invested through initiatives like our $500 million Pothole Repair Fund and supported councils through natural disasters with funding. Bathurst Regional Council has benefited from each of these programs with funding."

He said the electorate as a whole has received $70 million for maintaining and fixing regional and local roads, as well as replacing bridges.

"Our record investment will ensure that we not only replace our damaged roads, but build them back stronger for the future," he said.

Mr Toole - as well as Mr Shaw and Ms Nankervis - was asked what specific road projects he would be championing for the electorate and what makes each one important.

He did not, however, specify particular projects.

Independent candidate for the Bathurst electorate, Martin Ticehurst, was also approached by the Western Advocate to respond to questions about roads, but was unable to provide responses due to work commitments.

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