The Goulburn Valley's annual $1 billion food and beverage production is set to
get a boost through the $53 million duplication of part of the Goulburn Valley
Highway.
Federal funding was announced last month by the Prime Minister, Mr John
Howard, to improve the road between Seymour and Nagambie.
It is the first stage of a planned $450 million chain of road works that will
create a faster and more efficient inland corridor linking the Goulburn Valley
to Melbourne, Brisbane and all big ports.
The next stage, which will include a bypass of Shepparton, will involve a $250
million duplication between Nagambie and Tocumwal, in southern New South
Wales.
Funding is not yet available for this section, which will link with the Newell
Highway, creating a more direct route to Brisbane. The Newell Highway is not
yet duplicated. The Goulburn Valley Highway meets the Hume Highway near
Seymour, linking the region to Melbourne.
Stage one of the road duplication is expected to create 200 jobs in the
Goulburn Valley.
The food producers in the Goulburn Valley generate 500,000 tonnes of freight a
year. VicRoads statistics show that about 6000 vehicles use the Goulburn
Valley Highway a day, about a quarter of which are commercial vehicles -
delivery trucks and heavy vehicles. The traffic volumes of heavy vehicles are
predicted to grow about 3 per cent a year.
Mr Howard said the inland corridor would ensure an efficient and integrated
transport infrastructure for regional exporters.
The director of economic development for the City of Greater Shepparton, Mr
Don McKenzie, said the duplication of the highway was significant for the
Goulburn Valley.
Mr McKenzie said the region, considered the food bowl of Australia, had
problems getting its produce to Melbourne. "We need a fast track to the
wharves. The present highway has outlived its usefulness."
The duplication would also save lives as there had been many deaths on the
road due in large part to the huge volume of transport.
Other key parts of the Federal Government's plan for the inland corridor
include:
$250 million over four years to upgrade the interstate rail track beginning in
1998-99.
$100,000 for a feasibility study into the expansion of the B double trucks and
trailers along the Newell Highway corridor with parallel works by Victoria,
NSW and Queensland.