Toll increases take effect July 1 as Fels Review progresses

Quarterly toll increases start on Saturday on the M7, M2, M5 South West, NorthConnex, Lane Cove Tunnel, Eastern Distributor and the Cross City Tunnel. Regular toll increases are set in long-term contracts between the NSW Government and motorway owner Transurban.

Tolls on WestConnex M4, M4- M5 Link, M8 and M5 East, will not change on July 1 as they are subject to annual increases each January.

Tolls on the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Sydney Harbour Tunnel, owned by the NSW Government, have remained unchanged since 2009.

The NSW Government’s independent tolling review, led by Professor Allan Fels AO and Dr David Cousins AM, is engaging with the public in its task to recommend a safer, fairer and more efficient tolling system.

Options include moving all motorways to a common pricing structure, a geographic motorway zone system, and time-of-day pricing.

Public hearings scheduled for July 11 (Sydney CBD), July 12 (Parramatta) and 13 July (Penrith) will hear from members of the public, businesses and industry stakeholders about the impacts of tolls and ideas for reform.

People are urged to help shape the Government’s future tolling strategy by making a submission to the Tolling Review or signing up to attend public hearings via Have Your Say: Tolling Review.

The NSW Government is set to introduce a $60 a week toll cap for private motorists from January 1, and a reduction in the truck toll multiplier for heavy vehicles on the M5 East and M8 corridors from the start of next year, for 2 years.

Minister for Roads John Graham said:

“This latest toll price rise arrives at a time when the cost of living continues to bite hard at families and individuals across NSW.

“Currently the details dictating how and when these toll increases are applied are tied up in opaque tolling contracts that we want to share with the public.

“We are committed to creating a better system and a fairer deal with less confusion for Sydney’s motorists and I urge members of the public to take part in the Fels review to help shape a fairer system for all.”