WHILE the Southern Downs Regional Council and Queensland Transport and Main Roads get ready to spend more than $13million on road upgrades in the region, locals say half the problems could be fixed by getting the basics right.

Potholes and patch-up jobs dot the region's roads, leaving many motorists unhappy and calling for action.

Warwick District Road Safety Group chairman Graham Buchner said the most important roads were those with a heavy traffic volume. "The only issue is the council doesn't seem to repair them to last,” he said.

"They'll go along, dig out the pothole, fill it with bitumen and go on their way, just a quick fix. And they wonder why it all squashes out all over the place when a 68-tonne truck drives over it.”

In a recent poll, Daily News readers overwhelmingly rated a section of Fitzroy St as a blight on the motoring map.

Reader Donna Cecil said Fitzroy St, between the lights and East State School, was like an obstacle course with drivers driving around the humps, bumps and holes.

Trisha Grayson and Martha Thornton both also agreed Fitzroy St was a hotspot for potholes and bumps.

It was Fitzroy St again between the school and Aldi that got the nod from Josh Jenner, who also nominated the New England Hwy from Glengallan Homestead to the Eight Mile as another troublespot.

Mr Buchner said the council were well aware of the issues with Fitzroy St.

"We've made it very clear that it's not good enough, and the public know it's not good enough,” he said.

"With the Bunnings development on its way for better or worse, those roads will all need to be sealed in that area, so hopefully we'll see a resolution soon.

"Some of the roads are terrible around the region no doubt, there are places where it nearly shakes your teeth out.”

Southern Downs Regional Council's acting director of engineering services Eric Kraak said roadworks undertaken by the council fell into two distinct categories: maintenance and capital works.

"Maintenance needs are identified in several ways,” he said.

"The primary methods are inspections by maintenance supervisors, feedback from council employees working on roads and customer request/complaints.”

In 2017/18, the SDRC capital roads budget is $8million. Major projects in the 17/18 capital budget include gravel resheeting of gravel roads - $2.1million, resealing bitumen roads - $1.1million, Inverramsay Rd widening and rehabilitation $1.2million, Amiens Rd widening $1million and Goomburra Rd widening and rehabilitation $500,000.

In Road Safety Week, Warwick police officer-in-charge Jamie Deacon said he didn't think Warwick's roads were any worse than anywhere else.

"To be safe, drive to the conditions,” he said.

"Most locals will know the state of the roads they travel, and will drive accordingly.

"Get used to those roads or go another way.”