A pothole is seen on a street in Canberra. [Photo Credit: AAP Image/Lukas Coch]
The death of a 71-year-old motorcyclist, who crashed after striking a pothole, has reopened debate around the state of Victoria’s roads.
Emergency services were called to Trawalla, west of Ballarat, shortly before 1pm on Sunday following reports a motorcycle had struck a pothole.
The 71-year-old rider, from Ballarat, died at the scene after reportedly losing control on the Western Highway, near Trawalla Road.
Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the crash, which are yet to be determined.
But the incident has revived concerns about the quality of Victoria’s public roads, an issue which is shaping up to be a key election flashpoint.
A report from the Victorian Auditor-General on September 9 found 48 per cent of the network was in poor or very poor condition.
This was up from 39 per cent in 2021.
Examining more than 23,000 kilometres of state roads, it characterised the overall condition of Victoria’s public roads as “deteriorating”.
The Victorian coalition has pledged $5 billion over four years to plug one million potholes and re-establish preventative road maintenance.
The Labor government, meanwhile, has committed $352 million to double the number of potholes fixed in 2026 from 250,000 to 500,000.
The Victorian state election is due by November 28.
