It’s undulating and patched, a nightmare drive for people with injuries and exhausting for heavy vehicle drivers, but now the Horrocks Highway has been given an injection of $44 million in the recent Federal Budget which could see a smoother drive for all its users.

Member for Frome Geoff Brock has been lobbying for the upgrade of the horror highway in all his years as a Member of State Parliament and has welcomed the cash injection.

“I have been working very closely with State Transport and Infrastructure Minister Stephan Knoll and congratulate the Australian Government for committing $44 million of their budget to the Horrocks Highway – I’m sure regional residents will be cautiously pleased,” Mr Brock said.

“I know from my discussions with the Minister that he would have been doing a lot o lobbying for this money and applaud him for the work he has done.”

Mr Brock said the total estimated cost of critical upgrades to the highway were $55 million and based on an 80/20 percentage he was now asking Minister Knoll to act, as a matter of urgency, to allocate the additional $11 million from State funds to improve this road.

“I have always been passionate about upgrades for this important tourist and transport route, which is also the main artery connecting Mid North residents to Adelaide,” Mr Brock said.

“I know the State government has been listening to its rural constituents and am hopeful that the balance of the money needed for these essential upgrades will find its way into the State budget.”

Mr Brock said he would be asking for a time frame for the work on the highway as well as which sections the funding was earmarked for, or if it would include work along the whole length.