NSW Farmers is driving calls for more certainty around road closure data as floodwaters recede and drivers face months of damaged roads.
Recent widespread flooding has again brought the need for accurate, up-to-date road data to be easily accessible, but motorists still don’t have a single trusted source to call upon in times of crisis. NSW Farmers Business, Economics and Trade Committee Chair Bill McDonnell said the flooding was an unfortunate reminder of the need for a central repository of local road information that councils could easily and directly update in real-time.
“We’re living in a world where we can arrange an overseas holiday at the touch of a button yet finding information on changed local road conditions is not always easy,” Mr McDonnell said.
“It’s particularly important for truckies and motorists to have up-to-date information on regional and rural road closures in events such as flooding and bushfires, where this information can influence potentially life-changing decisions.
“For the farming sector, having route certainty is important for transporting raw goods and livestock and improves both efficiency and animal welfare outcomes.”
In some cases motorists take long detours when evacuating areas only to find smaller roads unexpectedly flooded, leaving them with lengthy delays as they try to navigate an uncertain road network. Mr McDonnell said modern technology enabled sophisticated communication and information access, such as the real-time price reporting on the Fuel Check app, but while LiveTraffic.com was good, there were too many cases of council updates not being fully utilised. NSW Farmers Executive Council last week resolved to take the matter up with the government.
“Consistency is definitely key if we are to achieve certainty for road users, and LiveTraffic.com should become the official go-to source of ‘truth’ to improve certainty and safety, especially in times of crisis,” Mr McDonnell said.
“The Fuel Check website is a great example of a user-friendly platform which allows users to easily compare fuel prices, and thousands of businesses update that data in real-time.
“LiveTraffic.com could present a similar solution if all councils, no matter their size, where able to upload accurate information in a timely manner.”
