Minister for Roads and Regional Transport Jenny Aitchison
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NewsTranscript
00:00Some good news on the horizon for the freight and transport routes. The M1 is looking to be reconnected from 6 o'clock tonight.
00:08It will be a single lane in either direction. The amount of garbage and debris that is on the roadway from the floods is extensive.
00:16Transport crews have been working relentlessly to try and clean it up, but they'll only be able to open one lane and there will be removal happening in that other lane.
00:25So we need people to really comply with those restrictions for the safety of the workers who are doing that work.
00:31We've also had Maritime Prop and Taree. They're looking at the rivers and right across the state to look at what needs to be done there.
00:38I've reached out to mayors in those LGAs that have been affected, the 19 LGAs, the mayors, the general managers and the local members,
00:46to really give them some assistance in terms of connecting that recovery that we know is ahead on the road network.
00:53The road network's taken a real bashing in this event and it will need significant assistance.
00:59Transport has got, since the 2022 floods three years ago, we've stood up a dedicated response unit for resilience and emergency recovery.
01:08We are really moving ahead with that funding of recovery.
01:13We've quadrupled the rate of money going out to council, so we know that we are well prepared and our systems are much better than they've been in the past.
01:20I want to give a big shout out to all of the crew from Transport in Maritime and all of the other emergency services who've been working so closely together on this recovery and this response.
01:32It's been really important to see and from my own community here in Maitland.
01:35The good news is also that Testis Hollow reopened this morning and we know that that means that Gilliston is not isolated, which is a really good outcome for them.
01:45But keep complying with all of the directions around traffic.
01:49Do not go into floodwaters if there are speed restrictions around.
01:53It's really important that you comply because there will be people cleaning the road so you can use it and you need to make sure that you are keeping them safe as well.