Premier pledges $500 million to fix potholes on NSW roads

Motorists in one state plagued by pothole-riddled roads will be pleased about a widespread repair plan following months of floods and heavy rain.

Dominic Perrottet’s government has announced a huge $500 million cash boost to repair hundreds of thousands of potholes plaguing NSW drivers following months of heavy rain and flooding.

Damaged roads will undergo patching and pothole repair, with the funds also giving local councils the ability to carry out urgent emergency road works.

Cars driving over potholes can incur severe damage, which can affect tyres, wheels and the vehicle’s steering capacity. Damage can range from bent wheel rims to punctured tyres and damage to the car’s body.

This comes as vehicle breakdowns due to tyre and wheel damage increased by around 50 per cent across recent months, according to data from NRMA.

Potholes can severely damage vehicles. Picture: Supplied / NSW Premier’s Office.

“We have listened to councils and we understand the pressure they are under after many months of wet weather,” Mr Perrottet said in a statement released on Tuesday.

“This funding boost will help councils continue the huge job of bringing roads back up to scratch to keep our state moving.

“We are making sure our roads are in the best nick possible, so NSW families, truckies, farmers and tradies can travel around our state safely.

“We recognise potholes are a major hazard right now. This critical funding injection will help every council across the state patch up potholes and carry out other emergency repair work.”

This comes as breakdowns due to wheel and tyre damage have increased by more than 50 per cent in some months, the NRMA reports. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gaye Gerard

The announcement will result in regional councils receiving $280 million, with just as much funding headed for councils in Greater Sydney. The financial support given to each jurisdiction will also be determined by the length of roads managed by each council.

Areas most in need of pothole repair include the Hawkesbury, Penrith City, Wollondilly Shire, Northern Beaches, Blacktown City and The Hills Shire councils in Greater Sydney and Lithgow, Bathurst, Parkes, Forbes, Cabonne, Orange, Blayney, Oberon and Lachlan Shire in regional locations.

NRMA spokesman Peter Khoury told NCA NewsWire he hopes the funding will provide “much needed” support and that “it will start the important work of fixing the road work”. This comes as the organisation reported a backlog of $1.9 billion in funding road repairs across NSW as a result of 2022 flooding events.

Regional councils are set to receive $280 million, with the same amount headed for councils in Greater Sydney. Picture: Supplied / NSW Premier’s Office.

NRMA data showed more than 37,000 breakdowns due to tyre and wheel damage were reported between October 1 to December 31, 2022. The same period in 2021 clocked up 31,000 breakdowns, reflecting an increase of nearly 20 per cent.

“That’s bearing in mind that the rains had eased in the later half of the year as well,” Mr Khoury added.

Deputy Premier and Minister for Regional NSW Paul Toole estimated that since February, more than 170,000 pothole repairs have occurred across regional NSW alone.

“Families who hit the road during Christmas would have seen first-hand the scale of the damage caused by last year’s flooding and rain,” Mr Toole said.

“This $500 million boost is on top of the $50 million already provided by the Liberals and Nationals Government to help regional councils carry out emergency pothole repairs.”

Originally published as Premier pledges $500 million to fix potholes on NSW roads