Dukes Highway

Mr McBRIDE (MacKillop) (14:49): My question is for the Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, and sorry not to give him a break. Can the minister advise when the Dukes Highway, between Bordertown and the Victorian border, will be returned to 110 km/h? With your leave, sir, and that of the house, I will explain.

Leave granted.

Mr McBRIDE: The Dukes Highway at that section has been reduced to 100 km/h despite the completion of all significant upgrades and roadworks.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS (West Torrens—Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Minister for Energy and Mining) (14:49): The Dukes Highway is part of our primary freight route between Adelaide and Melbourne. It is a very important piece of infrastructure, carrying just under 4,000 vehicles a day. I understand that of the 4,000 about 40 per cent are heavy vehicles, most of which are B-doubles and road trains. So it's a very well-utilised piece of infrastructure. The advice I have from the agency is that proportion is an extremely high percentage of heavy vehicles for a roadway. I have to say, that reflects the importance of the connection with our largest trading partner, which is Victoria. It is very, very important.

The department advised me that the speed limit on this stretch was reduced to 100 km/h in 2002, two decades ago. The good news is that it reflects an operating environment. We are cognisant of what's going on on the road. We want everyone to be safe. In particular, it's the presence of so many B-doubles. The reason B-doubles and road trains are good for our economy is that it means fewer vehicles but longer vehicles.

Both governments—the Australian government and the South Australian government, for the benefit of the member—have committed half a billion dollars over 10 years from the 2022-23 financial year to improve the safety and reliability of the national freight routes, which includes the Dukes Highway. The future program of works on the Dukes Highway will be heavily influenced by the department's strategic business case for the high productivity network.

Just to bore that down, the commonwealth government and the state government have committed to a very large infrastructure package for the high productivity network. It's reliant on business cases to make sure that we have the right arguments for the right roads. We are doing that work. The Treasurer has given us money in the budget to make sure we can go away and do that work to identify the stretches of road that need that work done. These business cases that we are conducting, for the benefit of this house and other members who are listening online, are also for the Greater Adelaide Freight Bypass as well. Of course, that is something that members opposite canned. Remember GlobeLink? Jobs and growth.

What are we considering as part of all this? We are considering pavement rehabilitation and resealing, which reduces the risk of crashes and provides better ride quality for all road users, including heavy vehicles. We are considering road widening, which is very, very important, and shoulder widening, shoulder sealing and audio tactile marking, which is very, very important to reduce the risk of run-off-the-road type crashes. The other part is, of course, overtaking lanes, which are very, very critical to the Dukes Highway to make sure we can have the appropriate overtaking so we don't get frustrated motorists who could cause accidents; also curve widening and wide centre treatments.

Once we have done all that, and all the interventions are made, and the assessments are done, we will consider lifting the speed limit again. I have to say, given the high percentage of heavy freight in combination with motor vehicles, the differential speed is the issue on stretches of road like this. I would caution the member, but I will undertake to do as much as I possibly can, once it is safe to do so, to make an application to see that speed limit increase.