Why major road upgrade needs to be redone

A road in Melbourne’s west is being resurfaced less than 18 months after it was upgraded, adding to concerns over a $1.8bn State Government scheme.

Danielle Vella is bemused at roadworks on Leakes Rd in Tarneit. Picture: David Caird

A suburban road upgraded under a $1.8bn state government scheme has had to be redone 18 months after it was finished.

Leakes Rd in Tarneit, improved as part of the Western Roads Upgrade, was barely completed in 2021 before locals started to notice parts of the works were deteriorating rapidly.

Last month, they received letters informing them the section of road delivered by a developer as part of a housing estate was already being resurfaced.

Its understood the stretch was built by different contractors, hired by the developer, to those hired by major consortium Netflow for the other parts of the road.

But Netflow was responsible for repairing the damage under a contract that puts it in charge of maintaining 260km of roads in Melbourne’s west until 2040.

Frustrated residents are now asking whether the project has provided value for money amid ongoing concerns about how the $1.8bn program has been managed.

A litany of issues have emerged from the Western Roads Upgrade over the past year, with dozens of small businesses facing bankruptcy after a major contractor went bust.

Firms who were never paid have been working towards a class action against the Andrews Government, who commissioned the project, to get the money they are owed.

The Leakes Rd upgrade was finished last year but a strip of the road is already in need of repair works. Picture: David Caird

Businesses who were dudded on the job, and other government work, have also called for an independent probe into the state’s handling of projects, including how contracts are awarded and how blowouts are managed.

Danielle Vella, whose house backs on to the section of Leakes Rd being redone, said she was surprised works had restarted on the road so soon after the upgrade had been completed.

“There was nothing wrong with the road that I had noticed, I didn’t realise they needed to do it again until I got the letter in the mail,” Ms Vella said.

“I assume they must have done something wrong the first time.

“I think they have just finished one section and are now moving on to another … it’s not ideal, it’s a bit noisy.”

Ms Vella said she was concerned by the amount of taxpayer funds being spent on a relatively small section of road.

“It kind of just feels like a waste of money,” she said.

“Didn’t you fix it right the first time? Why am I paying for it again?”

Danielle Vella is concerned about the amount of taxpayer funds being spent on the small section of road. Picture: David Caird

A Major Roads Project Victoria spokeswoman said the state was “continuing to work with Netflow to identify any repair works on roads that don’t meet the required standard as a part of the Western Roads Upgrade maintenance program”.

“These resurfacing and repair works will provide certainty for communities in the west that the roads they rely on every day will receive ongoing care and maintenance. This means less disruption, and smoother and more reliable journeys.”

Opposition finance spokesman Ryan Smith said the project was an example of poor management.

“It shouldn’t be hard for a half-competent state government to draw up a contract that protects against shoddy work like this,” he said.

“Whether it’s cost overruns, timelines blown out or dodgy work being done, the ongoing mismanagement of infrastructure projects by the Andrews government is costings the taxpayer millions.”