NRMA road backlog report shows $3.4 billion needed to fix the state’s roads

More than three billion dollars is needed to fix the state’s roads as years of wet weather events and funding shortfalls leave metro and regional councils with the biggest maintenance backlogs. See the list.

More than $3 billion is needed to fix the state’s roads with the backlog blowing out in the last year as councils across NSW plunge into the red, government funding falls short, and unprecedented wet weather events leave the road network in tatters.

The Daily Telegraph can reveal the backlog of funding for NSW road upgrades and repairs jumped from $2.8bn to $3.4bn between 2023-2024, according to the NRMA’s annual road infrastructure report.

About $2.8bn of the current backlog comes from regional councils compared to their metropolitan counterparts, who require $633m to keep their roads up to scratch.

Blacktown, Canterbury-Bankstown and Parramatta Council have the most expensive backlogs in Sydney, while Clarence Valley, the Mid-North Coast and Wagga Wagga Council topped the list for regional councils.

NSW councils are responsible for maintaining more than 80 per cent of the state’s 185,000 kilometre road network, but the state and federal government have only given councils an average $574m in annual funding for road works in the last seven years.

In the 2024-2025 budget, the federal government allocated just $291.7m for NSW councils through Local Roads Component grants.

The NRMA claims this is four times less than what is needed to keep roads safe after record flooding in the last three years riddled the road network with potholes and structural damage.

Floods across the Northern Rivers and Northern NSW in the last three years have caused extensive road damage. Picture: NewsWire / Glenn Campbell

NRMA spokesman Peter Khoury warned a failure to increase funding for road repairs will impact freight, tourism, and the road death toll.

“Across NSW, 128 councils maintain the overwhelming majority of the bitumen we drive and they need help, especially regional councils,” Mr Khoury said.

“Improving these roads will also help bring down the road toll as there is a direct correlation between where there is huge demand for road repairs and where people are dying.”

The NRMA has called on the re-elected Albanese government and the NSW government to increase funding to councils for road maintenance and to consolidate funding programs.

Blacktown Council has the biggest maintenance funding backlog in Sydney. Picture: Julian Andrews

As part of their call, the organisation has urged the government to undertake a full audit of the NSW road network to target repairs where they are most needed.

Blacktown Council needs $84m to fix its roads and has the largest backlog in Sydney amid its population boom.

Mayor Brad Bunting said Blacktown is expected to grow from 450,000 to 600,000 residents in the next 20 years – roughly equal to the population of Tasmania – but rate capping and lack of funds has left the council “hamstrung” in its race to keep up with development.

“We are a growing council and we have stresses on our budget to maintain our roads as we grow,” he said.

“It’s important communities get the right infrastructure as we move forward, and this is not just a roads issue, this is an overall financial sustainability issue for councils.”

NRMA said councils don’t have enough funding to keep up with road repairs. Picture: John Appleyard

Potholes and structural damage have worsened following wet weather events. Picture: John Appleyard

Ballooning asset portfolios have outstripped government funding, leaving many regional councils in millions of debt as they struggle to maintain large road networks and their own sewage and water systems.

Clarence Valley Council in the Northern Rivers has been slugged with the largest backlog in the state at $390m following devastating floods. Deputy Mayor Greg Clancy said there was no end in sight.

“We have one of the largest networks in the state and four pothole teams working constantly, but just trying to keep up with repairs is impossible because we’ve had so many natural disasters and wet seasons,” he said.

The calls come as NRMA hits the road to visit Wagga Wagga, Orange and Newcastle as part of its road safety campaign.

“We don’t have a lot of residents so our rate base is small and the funding we get from the government is not enough, but we don’t want to raise our rates either … it’s a very difficult situation”.

Roads Minister Jenny Aitchison claimed the government was also in a difficult position trying to play catch up.

“This report highlights what we already knew, that our state’s roads were neglected for a decade under the Liberals and Nationals,” she said.

“In the last budget, we (allocated) $3.3 billion for disaster recovery over four years, increasing the average spend to around $825 million per year … and we are working closely with local councils (to get this) out the door sooner.”

The NRMA has released its findings in the lead up to National Road Safety Week and will kick off its road safety campaign ‘A Reckoning on Our Roads’ on Wednesday.