Rough ride for regions

Regional road users and their representatives continue to raise significant concerns about the condition of the State's regional road network.

Still, Roads Minister and National Party leader Duncan Gay said the Coalition had achieved some big wins since taking government in 2011.

NSW Farmers president Fiona Simson at the time labelled the 2013-14 State budget "very Sydney centric", highlighting the disproportionate $60 billion spend on Sydney transport.

Livestock carrier Paul Milgate, Trangie, said dodgy roads created safety concerns and increased wear and tear on his trucks.

"The further you get into the centre of the State there isn't too much money going into roads - some are in worse condition than dirt roads because you can't grade them," he said.

"The eastern side of Nyngan is one of the worst at the moment, and Gilgandra through to Lightning Ridge, I'm not sure how there aren't more accidents there either."

Mr Milgate said road edges were falling away, causing the roads to either tilt or narrow.

"I cart livestock and a lot of weight is up high on the vehicle, and the drop on the edge of the road only has to be down four inches (10 centimetres) and it makes a big difference to the stock and to the crate," he said.

"They have just started to do a few little patches up of the Nyngan road now - it has been a rough road for a long time, and I'm not sure if this will last, but hopefully it will."

Mr Gay cited some impressive figures on the Coalition's behalf.

He said his government had contributed, including future budgeted spending, more than $15 billion for roads, bridges and culverts in rural and regional NSW since March 2011.

The Coalition committed to reserve $3.7 billion for future spending on regional roads, including $500m for the Newell Highway, which he called "the spine of country NSW".

Mr Gay said the Coalition delivered an annual spending increase of 59 per cent for road and freightinfrastructure since 2011 for regional NSW, when compared to average spending over the last 10 years.

Late last month Deputy Premier Troy Grant announced the Fixing Country Roads and Bridges for the Bush programs would receive an extra $700m in funding, as part of the $20b Rebuilding NSW plan.

Opposition roads spokesman Mick Veitch said Bridges for the Bush was an example of where Labor delivered for regional NSW - and where the Nationals were not.

"In government Labor delivered $60m for upgrading Timber Bridges in regional NSW between 2006 and 2011," he said.

"In total 172 bridges were replaced on council roads across 57 council areas - the Liberal National government has only upgraded 17 bridges in one term of office.

"In total between 2003 and 2011 Labor upgraded 400 bridges across rural and regional NSW on State and council roads."

NRMA western region director Graham Blight said the money assigned to the Newell had made improvements to a dire situation.

"For the first time in some years, the Newell Highway has not been in our top five worst roads," he said.

Increasing the speed limit from 100 kilometres an hour to the previously enforced 110km/h had also been a welcome decision, said Mr Blight.

"The new government took notice of what we said and changed it back to 110km/h, and that has helped the traffic flow because trucks can do 100 and everybody else can do 110," he said.