Regional Roads

Mr PEDERICK (Hammond) (14:57): My question is to the Minister for Regional Roads. Has the minister travelled to the South-East to inspect the condition of local roads? With your leave, sir, and that of the house, I will explain.

Leave granted.

Mr PEDERICK: On 19 June, the District Council of Grant carried the following motion, and I quote:

That Council write to the Minister for Regional Roads, the Hon. Geoff Brock MP, to advise of the poor state of Kangaroo Flat Road and ask for an urgent inspection and maintenance to be undertaken on the road in the interest of public safety.

The Hon. G.G. BROCK (Stuart—Minister for Local Government, Minister for Regional Roads, Minister for Veterans Affairs) (14:58): I thank the member for his question. When country cabinet was down in the South-East and Mount Gambier way, including Grant, unfortunately I wasn't able to get there because of my issue. However, I will check on that letter and make certain it has gone through. One of the things I want is to be able to reinforce what the Minister for Infrastructure has indicated. We have to do a priority of roads across all of regional South Australia and correct planning. In regard to that, just recently, last week, I had the opportunity—and I made this comment to the member for Hammond. Back on 3 May, I took two questions—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, member for Reynell!

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, member for Chaffey! The minister has the call.

The Hon. G.G. BROCK: On 3 May I took two questions on notice from the member about an audit on regional roads, and one of the things I have done is that last week—and I put out a press release, I think, yesterday or the day before—through the department I had the opportunity to look at what is called iPAVe3. It is a vehicle that is used in other states to be able to get a true indication of the condition of all the roads. I am pleased to advise the house that last week I enjoyed a demonstration of the world-first technology that is being used to assess the condition of South Australia's roads.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. G.G. BROCK: The latest and greatest Intelligent Pavement Assessment Vehicle, iPAVe3, has started collecting vital road data across all state-maintained roads and highways with the information to be used to help determine future road maintenance and prioritise repairs and upgrades. Reinforcing the Minister for Infrastructure's comments, we have to do that on a facts basis.

The collected data will be used to assess bearing capacity of the pavement. The iPAVe truck deployed in South Australia for the first time will cover nearly 400 roads across South Australia providing rapid data collection without the need for traffic control.

The iPAVe3 is the only comprehensive pavement measurement vehicle that can provide structural and surface condition data at highway speeds of up to 80 km/h. This cutting-edge system will provide a clear insight into what is happening on the road surfaces, such as cracking, along with ground-penetrating radar to assess structural conditions underneath, allowing maintenance crews to make faster informed decisions on where works need to be carried out.

This vehicle can measure roughness, texture, rutting, as well as collecting digital imagery for visual rating and cracking. Data obtained will be used to assess the bearing capacity of the pavement, including the impact of flooding and water ponding, pinpointing areas where the pavement may be subject to failure. These findings will contribute to the analysis of all state-maintained regional roads, which I announced will take place in May, and will go a long way to ensuring that local communities' transport needs are met.

Since its launch last month, the iPAVe3 has completed 2,500 kilometres out of 18,000 kilometres as part of a joint survey between the National Transport Research Organisation and the Department for Transport and Infrastructure. Regional areas covered so far include the South Eastern Freeway and parts of the Stott Highway and Karoonda Highway. Further surveying will take place in the Murray and the Mallee, Fleurieu and North Adelaide regions. The iPAVe analysis of South Australian roads is due to be completed by the end of this financial year.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! There are interjections to the left and right. The member for Davenport.