Coast commuters will save thousands

Local Labor MPs have confirmed that NSW Labor, if elected this month, will introduce a $60 weekly toll cap saving some Coasties thousands of dollars each year in skyrocketing toll charges.

3 March 2023

 

UNDER the promised toll saving scheme a Central Coast Commuter, who travels to Sydney each day Monday to Friday, would save over $8000 per year in tolls.

 

For example, a commuter who uses Northconnex ($9.06), M2 Hills ($9.05), Lane Cove Tunnel ($3.77) & Sydney Harbour Bridge ($4.00) during peak hour (6:30am – 9:30am) currently pays $25.88 to enter the city and $21.88 in the afternoon (also during peak hour).

 

This means some drivers are paying up to $47.76 every day to get to work or $238.80 per week.

 

Under Labor’s $60 cap, this commuter would save $178.80 per week or $8,582.40 per year (based on 48 working weeks).

 

This will be immediate help to ease the burden of increasing tolls for Central Coast commuters.

 

John Graham MLC, Shadow Minister for Roads said “The Liberals have been obsessed with their toll mania policy and it is hurting the family budget.

 

“We recognise that people right across the Central Coast are paying thousands of dollars in tolls. Under the Liberals it will continue to get worse.”

 

 Labor’s toll cap will be on top of the existing toll rebate and M5 cashback schemes.

 

This means that drivers will be safe in knowing they will not pay more than $60 a week in tolls.

 

Labor’s toll cap will be in place for two years, and will commence on 1, January 2024. It will be administered by Service NSW. Any tolls charged above the cap will be refunded on a quarterly basis.

 

Shadow Minister for the Central Coast David Harris said “Many Central Coast families are struggling to stretch their budgets so Labor’s proposed toll cap will provide relief to those people who are forced to use toll roads for their daily commute.”

 

David Mehan, Member for The Entrance, said “The tolling system is way out of touch. Capping these costs makes sense and will mean more money for the family budget.”

 

A Minns Labor Government will also appoint Professor Allan Fels AO, former chairman of the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC), to lead an overhaul of the toll network.

 

Professor Fels’s overhaul would:

 

• immediately take charge of the current Treasury and Transport review of tolls;

 

• be responsible for negotiating with tolling operators to drive a good deal for motorists; and

 

• be tasked with looking at long term reform options to overhaul the tolling system in NSW including but not limited to potential competition in toll contracts, moving freight on toll roads at night, the intersection of public transport and toll roads, long term concessions, what other jurisdictions are doing and compliance with toll contracts.

 

The review and recommendations will be made public and it will be open to submissions and will consult with the transport sector and the toll paying public.

 

Labor’s package gets the balance right between short term, immediate toll relief for motorists over the next two years and long term reform after which Labor will implement the reforms recommended by Professor Fels’s review.

 

This is a total two-year benefit to drivers of $147 million.

 

Liesl Tesch, Member for Gosford, said “Labor plan will put more money in the pockets of commuters straight away and put downward pressure on the ballooning cost of living.

 

“Under Dominic Perrottet and the Liberals tolls are out of control especially after they have signed secret contracts and privatised toll roads.

 

“Coasties are paying out of their noses to get to work, under Labor we will end this huge cost to families.”

 

Comments attributable to Member for Swansea Yasmin Catley, said “We all know that the Liberals constant toll rises are putting increasing cost of living pressures on Central Coast commuters.

 

“Labor’s plan will take the pressure off commuters capping tolls at $60 a week.”

 

The question for Central Coast motorists is, “Do you want more tolls and privatisation in New South Wales? Or do you want toll relief and a plan to untangle the toll mess and no more privatisation?”

 

Comments attributable to Sam Boughton, Labor’s candidate for Terrigal, said “Everyone on the Coast has family or friends who have to commute to Sydney for work or study.

 

“Labor’s policy will help to ease the rising cost of living pressures for Central Coast households.”

 

 NSW Labor has already committed to keeping the Sydney Harbour Tunnel toll concession in public hands and return revenue from both the Sydney Harbour Tunnel and the Sydney Harbour Bridge to drivers in the form of toll relief.

 

And what about the Perrottet Government?

 

The Perrottet Government has yesterday made an extraordinary admission that fees, charges and taxes on small businesses under the NSW Liberals have surged.

 

Taxes

 

NSW is the now the highest taxing state in the country. State and local taxes are now $4795 per person.

 

In 2011 they were $3257.

 

They have surged $1,538 or 47 per cent.

 

Tolls

 

Trucks and cars have to pay $100 billion in tolls – all to private toll road operators.

 

Bills

 

The Government’s rebate barely even covers the NSW Liberals’ broken promise that businesses would be $430 a year better off on their energy bills.

 

Instead bills are up 26 per cent in the last six months alone.

 

Daniel Mookhey, NSW Shadow Treasurer, said “It’s robbing Peter to pay Paul.

 

“Every time the NSW Liberals announce a rebate you know it’s because they have jacked-up fees and charges, put a toll on it or sold it off.”

 

Steve Kamper, NSW Shadow Minister for Small Business Steve Kamper said “Jacking up fees, charges, tolls and taxes, and then offering a rebate is just a reverse bait and switch.

 

“Electricity prices are higher because small businesses are paying super profits to the privatised Ausgrid and Endeavour energy.”