An NRMA report, called Funding Local Roads, has analysed the backlog of works reported by four councils across the Hunter in their annual reports.

It found that the backlog had fallen almost $33 million since the NRMA last conducted this analysis for the 2013 to 2014 financial year.

But NRMA president Kyle Loades said the $154 million funding shortfall required to make local roads safe was still far too high.

“The biggest issue is safety,” Mr Loades said.

“The report really highlights the poor state of repair. It affects congestion, but it’s mainly a safety issue. Not just for the locals but also for the many thousands of tourists that come to Port Stephens and to the vineyards.”

The NRMA report identified more than $1.7 billion in 2014 to 2015 in council backlog for road infrastructure across NSW.

Among Hunter councils, Lake Macquarie City Council reported a backlog of almost $51 million, and Newcastle City Council reported $23 million.

But Maitland recorded the biggest backlog with $77 million.

“That is the entry into the wine country and Pokolbin area,” Mr Loades said.

“We have many thousands per week of tourists, let alone all the locals that deserve a safe local road.”

Mr Loades said the NRMA’s main priority was fast-tracking funding from the Federal Government’s Roads to Recovery and Blackspot programs.

But that alone would not be enough.

He said if the Roads to Recovery funding announced in this month’s Federal Budget was maintained, the backlog would not be met until 2027.

Revenue from the fuel excise had increased by $800 million to $15.7 billion.

Mr Loades said whichever party won the July 2 federal election needed to guarantee at least half of all revenue raised through the fuel excise be committed to roads and fast-tracking funding to help Hunter councils meet their backlog.

“Every time a Hunter motorist fuels up at the petrol station, just under 40 cents per litre is fuel excise, and we get a return of just under 50 per cent,” he said.

“So what we’re really asking is that all candidates and all parties make a commitment to improving local roads with more funds from the fuel excise.”

Mr Loades encouraged Hunter motorists to identify the most frustrating local roads via the NRMA’s Keep Australia Moving campaign.

“Let’s take those facts to all candidates as we head towards the next election,” he said.

Have your say via keepaustraliamoving.com.