Nationals’ Senator Barnaby Joyce today applauded the announcement by The National Party leader Mark Vaile MP for $700 million dollars pledged to complete the second Toowoomba range crossing.

“This vital link from the western side of the great divide to the eastern side will be one of the major east west corridors in Queensland. It deals with the reality of the number of heavy transports that are currently driving through the middle of Toowoomba every day.

“It connects the New England Highway up with the Port of Brisbane and this straight flat run of the western road will move trucks off the Pacific Highway and onto a more preferred inland route. It allows the development of a large industrial area to the west of Toowoomba to take advantage of this crossover of transport corridors and this means ultimately that people can leave Dalby and not see traffic lights until the middle of Brisbane.

“From Gatton to Charleville, people have been asking for the delivery of this major road investment and now the money has been announced we look forward to the winners of the tenders to get stuck into building it after the election.

“One of the first groups of people to contact me, after my election into the Senate, was Toowoomba residents wanting me to assist in the lobbying for the second range crossing. There have been too many injuries and deaths for this issue not to be a priority. I am happy that with many others this lobbying has come to fruition and we can now deliver this huge investment package on the construction of this vital infrastructure.” Senator Joyce said.