|
|||||
| Return to 2005 News Releases | |||||
|
|
News
Release |
||||
|
Reid questions government investment in winter highway
maintenance November 15, 2005
|
|||||
|
Opposition Leader Gerry Reid says he is concerned with recent comments made
by mayors around the province related to government’s lack of investment in
winter highway maintenance, especially the problems being experienced with
highway maintenance equipment. Over the past several days, three tragic
accidents have taken place in the province claiming six lives. Each of these
accidents appear to be the result of slippery road conditions caused by
black ice. "While I am not blaming anyone for these accidents, I question why winter highway maintenance equipment is not fully operational in the middle of November," said Mr. Reid. "With the unpredictable road conditions we experience in this province, I would have expected any repair and inspection issues to have been addressed earlier this fall. This apparently was not done. "This leaves me wondering what impact the closure of 13 highways depots had on this equipment. Would equipment problems have been addressed earlier if these depots were open for the full year? Would more equipment be operational? Whether these issues would have been addressed or not, I still feel that closing these depots was a bad policy decision of government and I ask the minister to reconsider the impact of these closures. "Whether any of these accidents could have been avoided will never be known. However, I am suggesting that Minister Taylor take a detailed look at the priorities of his department. New and adequate investment in highway equipment is needed . Government should develop a long-term plan to upgrade roads and replace aging equipment. It won’t happen overnight, but with an appropriate level of investment I would hope that these types of problems could be reduced. Everyone in this province wants to see safer roads, and these improvements will only take place through increased investment, not cutbacks."
|
|||||
|
Media Contact: |
|||||
