The Hon. Wendy Lovell, Member for Northern Victoria, Media Release, 8 April 2024

During a recent sitting of parliament Wendy Lovell, Liberal Member for Northern Victoria, highlighted the Labor government’s continuing failure to act on the Shepparton Bypass.

Following the release of the Shepparton South East Precinct Structure Plan, Ms Lovell urged the State Government to commit to funding at least Stage 1 of the Shepparton Bypass in the 24/25 Budget.

In a recent response to Ms Lovell, the Minister for Transport Infrastructure Danny Pearson blamed the stalled project on the Albanese Commonwealth government, which as part of its Commonwealth Infrastructure Review “decided not to pursue the Shepparton Bypass project further”.

After the Commonwealth’s withdrawal, the ball is back in the State government’s court, but the Minister’s response indicates that this Labor government has no interest in progressing the project.

Concerningly, the Minister’s reply referred to Doyles Road as a “key north-south corridor” that “forms part of the Principal Freight Network”, which indicates he expects it to remain the only Alternative Route for heavy vehicles in Shepparton into the foreseeable future.

This is alarming because the Shepparton South East Precinct Structure Plan requires a pedestrian crossing on Doyles Road.

The Precinct Plan aims to build 2500 new homes, along with shops, a community centre, and a new primary school. It also proposes to put a pedestrian crossing on Doyles Road to serve the new residents and school children in the area, even though Doyles Road is the Shepparton Alternative Route for heavy freight vehicles.

This highlights the need for a dedicated Shepparton Bypass that will take freight vehicles out of the CBD, and away from residential areas and pedestrians.

Industry, food growers, freight transporters and residents of the Greater Shepparton region should be deeply concerned that the Minister has no plan for the State to prioritise this critical regional Victoria infrastructure project.

Comments attributable to Member for Northern Victoria Wendy Lovell:

“The Shepparton Bypass is a critical infrastructure project for the safe and efficient movement of freight trucks in Victoria, and the State government must take responsibility for delivering this project.”

“Labor is throwing $216 billion at the Suburban Rail Loop, but won’t commit to funding the Shepparton Bypass. Just 1 per cent of that money ($2.16b) would fund Stage 1 of the Shepparton Bypass, the redevelopment of the Shepparton basketball stadium, complete the redevelopment of Goulburn Valley Health and Clinical Health School, and build an underground pedestrian crossing at Kialla West Primary School.”

“The State Labor government has abandoned regional Victoria once again. Labor is spending billions on projects in Melbourne, while ignoring the needs of regional communities.”