POTHOLES, road closures and unsafe local roads in the Armstrong Creek Growth area are the focus of a survey launched by the Federal Member for Corangamite, Libby Coker.

The Armstrong Creek Local Roads Survey asks residents to identify local roads of concern after many constituents contacted her office to express their frustration about local road closures, potholes, and poor communication from developers and the City of Greater Geelong.

Ms Coker said the Survey will be an opportunity for more locals to come forward and have their say about the state of some of the local roads in the rapidly growing Armstrong Creek area.

“Some residents speak about a sense of entrapment in their own suburbs, and the ‘rat runs’ that are occurring due to several road closures,” Ms Coker said.

“I’ve written to the City of Greater Geelong, raising my concerns and the frustration of my communities across Armstrong Creek, Charlemont and Mount Duneed.”

“The City have an important role to play in making sure locals feel safe on the road, students have the footpaths they need to walk to school, and emergency service providers can easily access some of the new estates built over the last few years.”

In addition to the issues raised by constituents, Ms Coker said concerns about local roads had been raised at a recent Armstrong Creek Community Safety and Crime Prevention (CSCP) meeting.

The CSCP is chaired by Ms Coker, and includes police, community stakeholders, local school representatives, and emergency service providers.

Ms Coker’s survey launch follows the Albanese Government’s earlier announcement that $4.4 billion will be made available under the Roads to Recovery program over the next five years.

“We’ve committed to progressively doubling the program’s funding to $1 billion annually, as outlined in the 2024-25 Budget,” Ms Coker added.

“The funding increase will allow local governments to plan for the long-term maintenance and upgrade of their road network, shielding critical road safety measures from the uncertainty of budget cycles.”

Roads to Recovery supports local road construction and maintenance by local government.

The program will provide funding for potholes to be filled, pavements to be repaired, culverts to be installed to improve drainage and keep roads open during bad weather.

Earlier this year, the City of Greater Geelong delivered a $2.1 million upgrade of Sugargum Drive and Bodega Drive near Waurn Ponds Train Station – a project fully funded by the Australian Government.