Newly published data has detailed the deteriorating condition of Victoria’s state-managed roads, with the Victorian Auditor General’s Office finding that the share rated poor or very poor rose from 39 per cent in 2021 to 48 per cent in 2024.

ABC News analysed the audit material, which also showed that at least half of state-managed roads were in poor or very poor condition in 30 councils. The worst-performing areas were concentrated in northern Victoria, while unresolved pothole reports were also prominent in the south-west and Melbourne’s outer suburbs.

The audit covers about 29,000 kilometres of state-managed roads, including major highways and arterial routes. These roads account for about 15 per cent of Victoria’s road network by length but carry most of the state’s traffic and freight; 82 per cent of the covered network is in regional areas. Council roads and those managed by Transurban are excluded.

The data recorded unresolved pothole reports in places including Towong in the north-east, Moyne in the south-west, and the Melbourne municipalities of Melton and Hume. Mornington Peninsula had the highest number among metropolitan areas and recorded a substantial increase over the previous 18 months. ABC News said the figures may understate the problem because a single defect report can cover more than one pothole.

The Victorian government has promised to repair 500,000 potholes during the financial year, twice last year’s target, with Premier Ben Carroll aiming to complete most of the work by the end of January. That would require repairing more than 3,000 potholes each day during the relevant period. Victoria has also committed an additional $352 million to pothole repairs.

The issue has become politically contentious ahead of the November state election. Nationals leader Danny O’Brien called for potholes to be fixed urgently, while the audit found that some road-condition data was inadequate, not used effectively to prioritise work, or not routinely released publicly. ABC News also reported that road deterioration followed widespread flooding in 2022, December 2023 and January 2024.

The condition of the Western Highway near Ballarat has drawn particular attention after a 71-year-old motorcyclist died following a reported pothole collision. The Department of Transport said potholes near Trawalla had been repaired and planned major patching works were scheduled, while investigations into the death continued.