SOUTH ROAD

Mr GRIFFITHS (Goyder) (15:51): I wish to talk today about South Road, and specifically the accident that occurred yesterday morning at approximately 10.30 where a truck in the left-hand lane hit a Stobie pole, brought that Stobie pole down and caused the disruption of traffic on South Road. This was quite a frightening incident, but it exemplifies the fact that there is an enormous amount of infrastructure work that needs to be done, especially on that main transport route, being South Road, as it takes so many goods and services and people from the north and south of Adelaide.

When the media announcement came about this accident, I was immediately concerned, and a quick bit of research in our office identified that this problem should have been fixed some time ago. I have in front of me a comment by minister Conlon in April 2005 about the commitment of funds to widening this portion of South Road between Torrens Road and Port Road. It identified the fact that it is a congested area and that the four lanes are very close to each other. It talks about the need to ensure that it is safe. However, the $47 million commitment that apparently was made then—and later reaffirmed by premier Rann in February of 2006, again talking about $47 million to widen South Road between Port Road and Torrens Road—has not been delivered. My real fear is that this accident has been caused for that reason.

Anybody who lives close to that section of South Road or has any reason to travel on that section of South Road, and anyone who has been through there and observed it in peak time can appreciate that it has been an accident waiting to happen. It did not, regrettably, come as a surprise to me. I have a brother and sister-in-law who live very close to that area—just to the east of it, probably only 300 metres away. I have been on that section of road many times, in some periods when it is not quite so busy and other times when it is very busy, and it is obvious to me that you really have to have your total wits about you.

There are signs posted that identify that large vehicles—the semitrailers and the trucks—need to be in the middle lane. On this occasion though, regrettably, the truck was in the left-hand lane, it clipped the Stobie pole, brought down the powerline and disrupted traffic for over a day and a half. Luckily, it did not actually cost anyone their life or cause a serious injury. However, it is an example of what can occur when money for infrastructure that really needs to be upgraded to provide the capacity to cater for increased traffic movements that are going to occur in South Australia does not actually translate into works being carried out on the ground, even when commitments are given in dollars in previous years, and in this case the money was re-announced before the 2006 budget after the original announcement in 2005. That is what I think the people of South Australia have to be very fearful about.

On talkback radio today we heard people ringing in to relate their own stories of being on this road and the side mirrors of vehicles actually hitting each other, because vehicles get so close. Everybody wants a little bit of space. The side mirrors of vehicles travelling north and south were actually hitting each other and smashing off. Imagine what would have happened—for just an extra six inches from each of those cars—if they had had that head-on collision, how many people would have been injured from this. It really does exemplify to me that this section of South Road is desperately in need of an upgrade.

I ask the minister—and I know it has been very much a topic on talkback radio today—when is that commitment actually going to translate. We know about the superway that is occurring on the northern end of South Road. Over $800 million is being invested there, but it appears to me that there are far worse sections of South Road a little bit further south than the area that they are working on now that really do need that work to happen, because serious accidents there would be of great concern.

I know that in the nineties purchasing the land was undertaken to allow traffic widening to occur there. So, if the money has been committed, why hasn't it been carried out? The people of South Australia have suddenly become fearful of the fact that it is another example of the commitment being given by the Labor government which does not translate into work on the ground. They are sick of promises being made and not delivered. They want to make sure this road is a safe one.

This money still needs to be there. It has been pulled out into the forward years. The project has been delayed, but the people who use South Road are sick of it. They want to make sure that this work happens, and they want to make sure that South Road becomes a safe road to travel on without fear of an accident occurring.