THE push is on for at least some of the eight rural roads, set to be upgraded by the state government, to have the 110 kilometre an hour speed limit reinstated immediately, with concerns of safety.
Kimba farmer Dion Woolford lives on the Cleve to Kimba Road, but his family's cropping and sheep business spans across four properties in the district, some up to 60km apart.
He was disappointed the state government was stalling on its pre-election promise to reinstate the speed limits, with his road only set for repairs by 2021.
"Our end of the road is safe to use at 110km/hr as it is dead straight, wide and the vision is good," he said.
"Trucks cannot maintain the speed limit up inclines, so cars will look to pass. The extra 10km/hr in this situation means less time is spent in the oncoming lane while overtaking.
"Increasing the speed limit also means less travel time for my family and our staff.
"The distances we are required to travel are too vast to be stuck on 100km/hr."
The move follows Stock Journal reporting last month that while the Liberal government went to the election with a promise to restore speed limits on these eight SA roads, money to fix them was only budgeted to be spent in 2021-23.
But Mr Knoll said the speed limits would only be reinstated once they invested the money "to make these roads safer".
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The Riddoch Highway and Carpenter Rocks Road are expected to be reinstated after safety upgrades by mid next year; the Goyder Highway from Crystal Brook and Clay Wells Road from the Southern Ports Highway to Callendale will be by the first half of 2021; while Cleve to Kimba Road; Andamooka Road to Olympic Dam; and Browns Well and Ngarkat highways are scheduled for completion by mid-2021.
I want to see these roads upgraded, and I am advocating for federal funding to help this happen faster. But in the meantime, the speed limits should be reinstated to 110km/hr immediately.
- TONY PASIN
But Member for Barker Tony Pasin does not believe his constituents should have to wait until 2020-21.
"That was never the (Liberal Party's election) commitment," he said.
Five of the eight roads are in the Barker electorate.
"I want to see these roads upgraded, and I am advocating for federal funding to help this happen faster," he said.
"But in the meantime, the speed limits should be reinstated to 110km/hr immediately."
Mr Pasin said any criticism from the Labor government was "extremely hypocritical".
"The state Labor opposition is playing politics on an issue that they created," he said.
And Mr Woolford agreed.
"The previous government chose a quick, cheap and easy fix by lowering the limit, rather than taking a long term view and spending some time and money in improving the condition of the road," he said.
Opposition road safety spokesperson Lee Odenwalder was contacted for comment.
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