21 Dec 2016 Ovens and Murray Advertiser, Wangaratta VIC (General News) THE State Government has committed funding to help the Rutherglen community to identify a route that will take trucks away from the town centre. Jaclyn Symes (MLC, Northern Victoria) said yesterday the government would provide $2 million for planning work to improve community safety and amenity and reduce congestion on local streets. More than 3700 vehicles use the Murray Valley highway through Rutherglen each day, including 600 heavy vehicles. Ms Symes said the grant part of a $4m planning project with the federal government -would allow formal consultation with the community, Indigo council and key freight business groups to start. Ive heard its important to the community to get the trucks out of the main shopping district, she said. We will take heavy vehicles away from the heart of Rutherglen making local roads safer for the community and giving the freight industry easier access to their destinations. The planning is part of a joint $4 million project with the federal government. Indigo former councillor Roberta Horne has led a campaign to encourage government to find ways to re-route heavy vehicles away from Rutherglens centre. Former Indigo councillor Roberta Horne said yesterdays announcement by the State government matching the $2m pledged by the federal government was proof that a non-partisan approach can work. Every political party, every media outlet, government agency and trucking industry representative responded positively to the thrust of our Re-route-Rutherglen campaign because it was based on safety and sustainability and providing whats right for our communities, Ms Horne said. Concerned citizens doctored the towns famous Sydney may have a great harbour tourism sign and more than 400 local people and visitors participated in a pictorial petition arguing for immediate action to solve a long-standing problem. Rutherglen people brought further attention to their plight by staging a dramatic demonstration of two B-double transport trucks passing in the centre of the town with just centimetres to spare. Weve been talking about a by-pass for the last 25 years but with a $50m price tag it was never going to happen, Ms Horne said. Our idea of a heavy vehicle detour where an existing road network that just needs to have the infrastructure upgraded is now coming to fruition. Caption Text: NOTE: One of Rutherglens young pictitioners says what he wants. Licensed by Copyright Agency. You may only copy or communicate this work with a licence