![Liverpool Plains Shire Council mayor Doug Hawkins said he hadn't had any communication with NSW Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Sam Farraway. Picture file Liverpool Plains Shire Council mayor Doug Hawkins said he hadn't had any communication with NSW Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Sam Farraway. Picture file](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/150521478/bbb0b0fe-8ff7-4490-9163-b51c0af5d36e.jpg/r0_0_1200_674_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
REGIONAL roads are yet to receive the fix they were promised more than three years ago, leaving local councils in limbo and motorists dodging potholes.
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At an estimates hearing this week it was revealed not a single kilometre of road had been accepted by the state government after their 2019 election promise to reclassify and transfer 15,000 kilometres of roads across the state.
When pressed, NSW Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Sam Farraway refused to confirm whether the number of roads that had been transferred was in fact, zero.
"As of today, it may be zero," he said.
Liverpool Plains Shire Council mayor Doug Hawkins, who has been waiting to hear back about road reclassification for months, said it was "disappointing" to hear no progress had been made.
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"Our roads are really in a bad state," he said.
"We're going to be in dire straits.
"And the blame comes back to roost on local councils."
The council has applied to hand over 195 kilometres of roads to the state government, including the Coonabarabran Road, Werris Creek road, Wallabadah Road, Lindsays Gap Road, Merriwa Road, Waverly Road and Gap Road.
As an agricultural precinct and with talks of a "bumper" season coming up, Cr Hawkins said the shire was reliant on getting their roads up-to -scratch.
"If we're going to survive as an agriculture community, we really need to get our roads fixed," he said.
"We depend on these roads to generate income. The farm produce is our main income."
And with the Quirindi Show, sunflower season and new silo art taking off in the next few months, Cr Hawkins said he was worried the state of the roads would scare off visitors.
"I'm expecting a lot of caravan tourists to come through the area, it's a big thing for the grey nomads, they visit all these sites and get a photo," he said.
"My fear is that the honeymoon period is going to highlight how crook our roads are and then people won't come back."
Mr Farraway told the Leader in August he expected the Regional Road Reclassification and Transfer Program would deliver its final report to the government by the end of the year.
Cr Hawkins said something had to budge, with the shire's livelihood depending on the road network.
"I haven't got much hair now, but by the end I'll have none at all," he said.
"I would prefer them to come out and say 'no, it's never going to happen', then you know where you stand."
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