WHEN Werner Stalbohm and his wife planned a motoring holiday from metropolitan Sydney to through Victoria's south-west enroute to Adelaide and Broken Hill they didn't expect a big dent in their wallets because of a pothole.
They had to fork out $950 for new wheels and spent three nights in Warrnambool waiting for their Honda Accord to be fixed.
Their drama started Friday afternoon as they were heading west from the Otway Fly near Lavers Hill.
They hit a large pothole which smashed a wheel then later at Port Campbell they found cracks in another wheel.
"On Saturday morning we limped into Warrnambool only to discover it would take until Tuesday to get replacements," Mr Stalhohm told The Standard yesterday.
"But we enjoyed our time in Warrnambool. The crew at Beaurepaire's was very helpful."
Numerous other motorists have had to pay for new wheels and tyres after unusually heavy rain in the past few weeks weakened road surfaces.
Councils and VicRoads have refused to pay compensation.
Warrnambool -based MP Denis Napthine yesterday took a swipe at the state government for spending more than $6 million on advertising its transport plan rather than fixing badly-damaged roads.
"Every day I hear reports of people who vehicles have been damaged by deep potholes on roads such as the Hopkins Highway, Henty Highway, Caramut Road and even the Princes Highway," he said.
"Motorists are being forced to cough up thousands of dollars for damage caused to tyres and wheels because of huge potholes, truck ruts and dangerous surfaces on our local highways and arterial roads which are the responsibility of the state government."
He said he was concerned larger freight trucks had been approved for south-west roads despite promised upgrades not being undertaken.
However, the government dismissed Dr Napthine's claims as a smokescreen.
A spokesman for Roads Minister Tim Pallas said the government had a $38 billion plan for improving transport.
"This is just a smokescreen from the Opposition to try to distract from how weak and out of touch they are on transport," he said.
The Nationals Member for Lowan Hugh Delahunty in Parliament this week also called for more government spending on detiorating roads and the federal Road Safety Committee yesterday tabled a report criticising federal funding and recommended 50 per cent of fuel excise revenue be directed to roads..
Moyne and Corangamite shire councils have sought emergency funding for road repairs.
Warrnambool City Council leaders next week will meet VicRoads officials and seek an update on the agency's plan to build 21 new lanes into the Princes Highway.
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