The leader of New Brunswick’s Peoples Alliance party is expressing concerns about winter road maintenance in the province.
Kris Austin says it hasn’t been good, “it has been very bad, especially for rural areas. In my area of Fredericton-Grand Lake, the plow operators we have are working way too many hours. In my opinion to an unsafe level, and some of them are even quitting. Is there going to be more plow operators coming forward and will they be sufficient to plow the roads in this winter season?”
Transportation Minister Bill Oliver says the government is continuing to make improvements, with personnel and equipment.
“We have over 19,000 kilometres of road to look after. I live in a rural area and I know the importance of proper winter maintenance. We continue to endeavour to make sure that we have the asset in place. We are continuing to approve the assets, and personnel and equipment.
Oliver says this is a concern all across the province, “Winter conditions are different in the north as they are to the south or to the northwest and it is always a challenge. We will continue to improve.”
Austin says if the roads can’t be looked after properly in the winter, it can have a major effect, “It affects the emergency responders and it affects people going to work, which will affect the economy. People generally understand they pay very high taxes in this province and all they are looking for is basic government services in a reasonable time frame.”