Mt Perry Rd back in spotlight

CRASH-FEST: The infamous Monto-Mt Perry road claimed another car on Monday morning with the driver of this car lucky to escape injury after rolling his vehicle. Picture by KERRY O’NEILL.

THE dangerous Monto-Mount Perry Road has been thrust back into the spotlight with another accident earlier this week.

A male driver was lucky to escape serious injury when he rolled his car in a single-vehicle accident on Monday morning.

The car was a write-off after leaving a dirt section of the road, 62km south-east of Monto near Roslyn Station, and stopping just short of careering down an embankment.

Last month, Main Roads Minister Craig Wallace announced that a $1.8 million ‘Safer Roads Sooner' project nomination had been approved.

This was in addition to a $738,000 project, which already formed part of the Main Roads program.

Monto Ratepayers' and Residents' Association (MRRA) and Member for Callide Jeff Seeney wrote a submission – backed by a damning community survey previously revealed in Central Telegraph – seeking $10 million to fix the road after two men were killed in a car accident in January.

When the funding was announced, Mr Seeney said it was the first step in a long process of obtaining large amounts of funding at every available opportunity.

“It has been an extraordinary campaign by the people of Monto following the tragic death of a popular local teacher that has led to the success of the funding application under this program,” Mr Seeney said.

“The public meetings, the petitions and the community survey have together established how important this road is.

“There is much more that needs to be done to ensure the road can be regarded as of an appropriate standard for a main link to the coastal region.”

A row erupted between Mr Seeney and outgoing Federal Member for Flynn Chris Trevor, with Mr Seeney accusing Trevor of claiming undue credit for the allocation of state funds.