Calls for change as deteriorating roads expose big 'risk' to Aussies

Aussie road users are growing increasingly fed up with the deteriorating state of the tarmac across the country. New data reveals reports of sub-par roads and bike paths have tripled in the past three years, with "no signs of slowing down".
While the number of reports correlates with an uptick in Aussies opting to travel on their bikes, the state of roads poses an "increasing risk" to the wellbeing of cyclists, according to Danny Gorog, CEO of council reporting app Snap Send Solve.
Cycling advocacy group Bicycle NSW's CEO Peter McLean has called on authorities to pay attention to the complaints, telling Yahoo it's critically important "all three tiers" of government acknowledge that there are more cyclists than ever on the roads.
"We need to evolve and react to managing our assets and infrastructure more appropriately," he said. "People want better, more consistent infrastructure, and where they're not seeing it, they are reporting it," he said.
Since 2020, cycling has seen a "massive uptake", according to McLean. Now, over five million Australians are riding a bike every week, particularly with the advent of e-bikes.
With that, has come a rise in complaints on the state of infrastructure meant to serve cyclists. Last year, there was a "record-breaking" 5,235 reports of issues in bike paths including crumbling tarmac, regular debris in the way, as well as overgrown nature strips across the country, according to Snap Send Solve data.
2025 looks like it's going to be even worse with 3,153 reports already recorded between January and May this year.
"This rapid growth strongly suggests that conditions on the ground are deteriorating year over year," Gorog told Yahoo News Australia.
While the Snap Send Solve app itself is increasing in popularity among responsible citizens, he believes the rise in complaints is "unlikely" to be explained simply by reporting behaviour alone.
"It signals worsening infrastructure conditions, poor repairs, ageing bike lanes, and potentially inadequate maintenance cycles," he said.
He warns the current pace of deterioration could "undermine broader mobility goals and pose increasing risks to cyclists." Gorog hopes the insights will guide smarter investments and ongoing upgrades from authorities.
🚨 Drivers warned major road rule change with $961 fines 'just weeks' away
📸 Cyclist's heated exchange with driver over 'deliberate' roadside act
👮 'Unbelievable' moment cyclist swerves in front of driver draws police response
It's not just the quality of the roads putting cyclists at risk, but also fellow road users like car drivers. A disproportionate amount of crashes involve cyclists on Australian roads despite them being a small percentage of overall road users.
Last year, cyclist deaths jumped from 34 in 2023 to 38 in 2024, an 11.8% increase, with motor vehicles involved in the majority of crashes.
Footage shared earlier this year shows a scary near-miss between a driver and a cyclist in the Melbourne suburb of Brunswick.
Cyclist Rory Meister told Yahoo News he thought it was "absurd" the driver didn't see him despite having flashing lights on his bike. He said incidents with drivers are alarmingly frequent.
McLean previously told Yahoo education and awareness are the first port of call for improving safety for cyclists. "Fundamentally, we need better awareness at an early stage of when people are getting their licenses," he said.
"There's lots of great drivers out there and we just need to equalise everyone on the road."
Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com.
You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

Yahoo

4 hours ago

• Yahoo

Tesla plans $8 billion U.S. investment this fiscal year

-- Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) announced plans to invest approximately $8 billion in United States infrastructure and manufacturing during the current fiscal year, according to a post on X on late Friday. The electric vehicle manufacturer revealed it has already invested around $44 billion in capital expenditures in the US since the company's founding. Tesla noted that in the previous fiscal year alone, it made approximately $10 billion in capital expenditures. "Tesla has been focused on investing in manufacturing and infrastructure in the US since our inception and till the beginning of the year, we had invested ~$44B of capital expenditures. Just in the last fiscal year alone, we did ~$10B of capital expenditure and plan to invest another ~$8B this fiscal year," the company stated in its social media post. Related articles Tesla plans $8 billion U.S. investment this fiscal year Meet the nine private humanoid robot firms shaping the future stocks of the week Error while retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data

Yahoo

8 hours ago

• Yahoo

Feeney dominates Darwin to hit four straight race wins

Broc Feeney has continued his dominance at Hidden Valley Raceway, winning back-to-back races from pole in Darwin to extend his lead at the top of the Supercars standings. The Triple Eight speedster seems unstoppable at the moment. With his third and fourth consecutive race wins on Saturday, his championship gap over teammate Will Brown has opened up to 143 points. In a controlled performance in the day's second race, Feeney held onto the lead from the jump, setting a new Darwin lap record of one minute 7.523 seconds in the process. After pitting last, the 22-year-old used his fresh supersoft tyres to speed away from Anton De Pasquale in the final laps and hold onto a one second lead. De Pasquale's second-place finish was his first podium of the season and Grove Racing rookie Kai Allen picked up his first career podium in third. But Grove could be in for a team penalty after one of his crew members dropped a tyre in pit lane, sparking a post-race investigation from the stewards. De Pasquale and Allen both slipped behind Brodie Kostecki and Matt Payne after pitting later, but jumped back into the top three with fresher tyres. Cam Waters, who started in third, lacked pace and slipped back through the pack before an off on turn one with two laps to go sent him back to 10th. Brown recovered 10 places to finish in seventh after starting in 17th. Feeney's two wins continued his love affair with Hidden Valley, including winning both races in 2024 and another the year earlier. He earlier held off Tickford's Waters to win race 17 as carnage unfolded behind. It took just one turn for the first big shunt of the race to bring out the safety car. Wheel contact from James Golding fired Jaxon Evans into the barrier at the exit of turn one at high speed, dislodging his front wheel and ruling his car out of the rest of the day's action. RACING IN THE TOP END WITH EARLY DRAMA!!!Follow along this weekend from our NEW Live Insights here 👉 #Supercars — Supercars (@supercars) June 21, 2025 There was more drama straight off the restart, with Jack Le Brocq shunting hard into the wall amid cramped conditions on pit straight and parting ways with his front tyre. Seconds later, a tangle between Nick Percat and Richie Stanaway left the PremiAir Racing man with heavy damage, while Ryan Wood's Ford Mustang suffered engine failure and was left immobile. Brown also had a disappointing race race 17, finishing in eighth Feeney leads the race for the Darwin Triple Crown trophy on 160 points, with another 140 points up for grabs in Sunday's 200km race. Unlike previous seasons where the Crown was only awarded to a driver who won a clean sweep, whoever amasses the most points over the course of the weekend will claim the prize. RACE 17 RESULTS: 1. Broc Feeney (Triple Eight Race Engineering) 2. Cam Waters (Tickford Racing) 3. Matt Payne (Grove Racing) 4. Bryce Fullwood (Brad Jones Racing) 5. James Courtney (Blanchard Racing Team) RACE 18 RESULTS: 1. Broc Feeney (Triple Eight Race Engineering) 2. Anton De Pasquale (Team 18) 3. Kai Allen (Grove Racing) 4. Andre Heimgartner (Brad Jones Racing) 5. Brodie Kostecki (Dick Johnson Racing) CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS: 1. Broc Feeney (Triple Eight Race Engineering) 2. Will Brown (Triple Eight Race Engineering) 3. Matt Payne (Grove Racing) 4. Cam Waters (Tickford Racing) 5. Chaz Mostert (Walkinshaw Andretti United)

Yahoo

19 hours ago

• Yahoo

Quiet town beating the rest of Australia in big national race: 'Saving $6000 annually'

As Australia pushes to cut carbon emissions and reduce household bills, electrification has emerged as a key focus — from the cars we drive to the way we power our homes. But while rooftop solar is booming, the transition to electric vehicles (EVs) and fully electric homes remains modest. Nationally, just 2.7 per cent of vehicles on Australian roads are electric, according to the Electric Vehicle Council. While over 10 per cent of new cars sold are now electric, that figure still trails the UK (17 per cent), Germany (19 per cent) and Norway (over 80 per cent). At the household level, gas is still widely used, and many homes are poorly equipped to make the switch. Advocates argue the future of EVs in Australia looks bright, but in a quiet corner of Victoria's Bass Coast, one community has already quietly surged ahead, offering a glimpse of what a fully electrified future could look like. At The Cape, a purpose-built sustainable estate in Cape Paterson, more than 30 per cent of households now own an electric vehicle. Every home is powered without gas, using rooftop solar and passive solar design principles, and achieves an average eight-star NatHERS energy rating — well above the national average of 6.2 stars for new builds. "More than 30 per cent of households have an EV," Director and resident Brendan Condon told Yahoo News Australia. "Homes are 100 per cent electric with no gas connections, powered by rooftop solar, and designed using passive solar principles. This community-wide commitment to electrification, from the grid to the garage, makes [us] a national front-runner and an insight into the future of a fully electrified Australia." The estate comprises 230 residential lots, with about 140 homes completed and over 250 residents. More than 95 per cent of EV charging is done at home, helping cut costs and reduce strain on the wider grid, particularly in a regional area where public charging infrastructure remains limited. "Even in regional areas, most trips are local or to nearby centres like Wonthaggi and Inverloch, which are well within EV range," Condon said. "A round trip to Melbourne is under 300 kilometres, which is easily achievable by numerous long-range EVs now on the market." The Cape also challenges the notion that electric living is the preserve of wealthy inner-city enclaves. While upfront costs are still a barrier, residents claim long-term savings. Condon says homes that pair solar with energy-efficient design and an EV can save upwards of $6,000 annually. Once fully built, the community is projected to save more than $1 million a year. "These are 'super bill-busting' homes," he said. "That money stays in household budgets and bank accounts, which is significant in the current cost-of-living crisis." Experts agree that electrifying homes and vehicles is essential to meeting emissions targets. The Climate Council estimates that switching to solar and electric could save households $3,000 to $5,000 a year and cut domestic emissions by up to 42 per cent. It also supports energy independence and grid resilience by decentralising power generation. Still, challenges remain. Critics point to the cost of EVs and the difficulty of retrofitting older homes. There are also concerns about supply chains, mineral dependency for batteries, and whether the national grid is ready for widespread electrification without major upgrades. Empty Bunnings shelves sparks major change theory Plea to electric car owners ahead of expected 'hottest summer on record' Driver spots Tesla in shocking highway act: 'Licence revoked' But Condon believes communities like his show what's possible when sustainability is designed from the ground up. With the federal government introducing a New Vehicle Efficiency Standard in 2025 and aiming for net-zero emissions by 2050, more neighbourhoods may follow suit. "[We're] a real-world blueprint," he said. "It shows how communities can decouple from expensive fossil fuels and thrive — creating zero-emissions, climate-resilient neighbourhoods that aren't just imagined, but built." Love Australia's weird and wonderful environment? 🐊🦘😳 Get our new newsletter showcasing the week's best stories.