A South Coast road safety expert has thrown his support behind Fairfax Media’s FIX IT NOW campaign, to pressure the state and federal governments to upgrade the Princes Highway.
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Mark Wolstenholme, a Kiama resident, has advised state and local governments, and said the time was right for South Coast communities to lobby for funding to fix the notorious stretch of road, south of Jervis Bay to the Victorian border.
Mr Wolstenholme encouraged residents to capitalise on the imminent completion of major works on the Pacific Highway on the state’s North Coast.
In my mind it’s not acceptable we’re still having these fatal crashes.
- Mark Wolstenholme
“The Pacific Highway is almost completed, so it’s a great opportunity to say: ‘Right, all that funding, let’s see if we can get some down on the Princes Highway’,” Mr Wolstenholme said.
“We’ve had big projects that suck up a huge amount of funds.
“(On the Princes Highway) the priority has always been on the northern section. There have been fantastic projects up there – the Berry bypass just opening, the Albion Park bypass starting to move ahead.
“At the southern end, it’s always been a poor cousin.”
Mr Wolstenholme said by applying pressure through campaigns such as FIX IT NOW, change was possible for the southern section of the highway.
The stretch of road came under the national spotlight after the fatal Falkholt family crash at Mondayong on Boxing Day 2017.
A double-fatality at Jerrawangala followed eight weeks later, just north of Mondayong,
“The push (Fairfax Media) is doing now for fixing the roads and the political pressure there is really positive,” he said.
“It’s a fantastic initiative.
“The time is right now with the pollies but also with the community to have this discussion about what they want. Is it acceptable? In my mind it’s not acceptable we’re still having these fatal crashes.”
Communities are in the best position now to stand up and say enough’s enough.
- Mark Wolstenholme
The Berejiklian Government’s recent $125 million commitment to the Saving Lives on Country Roads program has heartened Mr Wolstenholme.
“We’ve been treading water and have seen a lot of fatalities. If we don’t put the pressure on with the Princes Hwy, the funds will go to the Bruce Highway in Queensland,” he said.
“We’ve got to make the case. It’s really about the pressure.
“It is personal for people on the South Coast. I think communities are in the best position now to stand up and say enough’s enough.”
If you are concerned about the highway or would like to tell your story, email kerrie.oconnor@fairfaxmedia.com.au