LNP Leader and Member for Nanango, Deb Frecklington says news that roadworks on the Brisbane Valley Highway are being delayed until 2019 shows that yet again the Somerset has been put on the bottom of the list by the Labor Government.
Mrs Frecklington said that to make matters works, Labor’s Member for Ipswich West, Jim Madden, had taken out paid advertisements to spread the bad news.
“Residents of the Somerset have been waiting on road upgrades for the Brisbane Valley Highway for years and finally we were supposed to see these take place this month,” Mrs Frecklington said.
“Now we have a State Labor MP, Jim Madden from Ipswich West doing Labor’s dirty work and using taxpayers money to advertise the fact that the roadworks are now delayed until 2019.
“The works we had been waiting on are supposed to address the high crash rate along the Brisbane Valley Highway, and now residents and visitors will have to put up with this second rate highway over the Christmas break, the busiest time of the year.
Member for Lockyer, Jim McDonald said the Brisbane Valley Highway needs to be built to a highway standard, with intersections upgraded and the road safe for all motorists.
Sadly, this year we have seen a number of serious and fatal accidents along the Brisbane Valley Highway,” Mr McDonald said.
“The local community has been calling for these upgrades for a long-time and it is time their concerns are finally listened to.
“As a former police officer, I understand how dangerous this stretch of road can be and how desperately needed these upgrades are,” Mr McDonald said.
“Pedestrians need to feel safe to cross the road and parents should have confidence that their children will be safe when crossing the road.
“My local community has been raising concerns about the highway for a long time and it is the number one issue for the Fernvale community.”
Photo: Member for Nanango, Deb Frecklington, Member for Lockyer, Jim McDonald and Somerset residents, Darren Zanow, Zola Day and Jill Godfrey who support the need for urgent upgrades on the Brisbane Valley Highway.
