Brian Carr, the Light Regional Council chief executive officer, was in the Australian Capital Territory to try and secure Gomersal Road funding.

He spoke with Maxine McKew, the Parliamentary Secretary for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government.

Mr Carr raised the lack of funding - from the Special Local Roads coffers - for the key transport route.

The Light Regional Council - with funding support from the State Government and the Barossa Council - lodged an application for a 66 per cent share of a $1.5million upgrade earlier this year.

The State Government has reinforced a commitment of $250,000.

The Barossa Council and the Light Regional Council have agreed to provide another quarter of a million dollars (about $166,000 from Light and about $84,00 from Barossa).

But the Federal Government has not come to the party.

Mr Carr’s Canberra trip took place less than two weeks after a Tanunda woman walked away from a Gomersal Rd rollover.

Brooke Hutchinson said poor road condition played a role in her accident.

She called for the road to be fixed.

Mr Carr said securing federal funds was a priority.

“We are bringing that to people’s attention,” he said. “There is certainly a lot of pressure on that road.”

The Light chief executive said it was important to note the Special Local Roads Funding was a separate issue to the re-classification of the road.

“When the upgrade is complete, then we can sit down and work out the classification for the future,” Mr Carr said.

With the two councils and the State Government already committed to help fund the road improvement, Nick Champion, the Federal Member for Wakefield, has helped apply pressure on the Federal Government to chip in.

Mr Champion recently wrote to Anthony Albanese, the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government, highlighting the merits of the road upgrade.

“Gomersal Road is a major road which has suffered severe deterioration in recent times, under pressure from increased commercial and commuter traffic,” Mr Champion’s letter said.

“I am advised that the deterioration of Gomersal Road has now reached the point where there are significant safety concerns for its users.

“If funds are not available through Special Local Roads Funding, I ask that other funding streams be considered as a matter of urgency.”