Albany MLA Peter Watson said there was the potential for a dangerous mix which could be solved by a better use of the Royalties for Regions funding.

He said the problem was being exacerbated by a failure to fund the State’s grain-rail network and then not put more money into the roads.

Mr Watson said the Government and Nationals leader, Brendan Grylls, had deserted country motorists.

“There is going to be an extra 5,000 road trips, just trucks on the road is just going to be astonomical, in an area with bad roads and a bad record,” he said.

Albany Highway and Chester Pass Road were becoming two of the worst regional roads in the state as a result, but nothing was being done to prepare them for the predicted increase in traffic.

A predicted increase in the number of B-doubles and road trains on the way to the port continues to put local traffic at risk with the Government failing to fund completion of the heavy freight ring-road.

Mr Watson backed the RAC which claimed the Nationals had turned their back on efforts to improve the safety of regional roads by not using any funds from the Royalties for Regions program for road safety.

He said that as an independent body, the RAC’s criticism needed to be heard.

“The biggest problem is the RAC coming out saying the Government must put money into the region,” Mr Watson said.

“Mr Grylls is letting down the farmer, people in tourism and school buses.

“There’s going to be more trucks on the roads so that’s going to be an issue. It’s just a flow-on effect.”

The RAC put together a comprehensive submission calling for a “Regional Roads Rescue Program” based on a similar successful strategy which had delivered a dramatic cut in road deaths in country Victoria.

RAC Head of Member Advocacy Matt Brown said the National Party’s response would anger many country people who drove on dangerous regional roads.