Lives and jobs depend on the federal government removing roadblocks to the delivery of funding for transport projects.
That's according to the Australian Automobile Association, which estimates a $4.39 billion accumulated shortfall between allocated funding for land transport and the money actually spent over the past five budgets.
The association says the 2019/20 financial year alone generated a $1.54 billion shortfall.
The AAA welcomed the federal budget's $14 billion commitment to transport projects over four years allocated in last year's budget.
But it has a warning ahead of Treasurer Josh Frydenberg delivering his third budget next week.
"All Australians will be wanting Tuesday's federal budget to show that those commitments are being honoured and are on track. Lives and jobs depend on it," AAA managing director Michael Bradley said.
He said the federal and state governments had promised to bring forward "shovel-ready" projects to boost jobs during the pandemic-driven economic downturn.
"If the funding commitments have not been honoured, then the government needs to stipulate what plans it has to remove the roadblocks if this week's budget announcements are to stand up," Mr Bradley said.
Australian Associated Press
