Tolls for drivers on iconic Sydney bridge

ABC NEWS (Australia)

The state government's confirmed drivers on Sydney’s harbour bridge and harbour tunnel will be tolled in both directions, from late 2028. The opposition says it's a broken election promise. But the government says many drivers will be better off, with the extra revenue funding a permanent toll cap.

Transcript

00:00Sydney-siders have a complicated relationship with toll roads.

00:06Many love the convenience, but loathe the cost.

00:09The tolls are already hideously expensive.

00:12Definitely it's pretty expensive at the moment, especially the new tunnels.

00:16But from late 2028, drivers on some of Sydney's oldest toll roads,

00:21the Harbour Bridge and Harbour Tunnel, will be slugged in both directions.

00:24I'm not impressed. That just makes it a lot harder and more expensive for people.

00:29The government plans to use the extra money it collects on the state-owned toll roads

00:33to fund a permanent extension of the $60 a week toll cap which applies across the network.

00:39This has been a very popular scheme and you can see why.

00:42The rules will be tightened though. Drivers will now be limited to claiming $5,000 a year in refunds.

00:48The government says it's also convinced toll road companies to do away with administration fees

00:54that are issued when e-tags aren't detected.

00:57That's a lot of stress coming through the letterbox as people pay these $10 or $20 fines and it really adds up.

01:04Tolling the bridge and tunnel in both directions could be politically risky for the Premier,

01:09who in 2022 said under a government eye lead there won't be a single new toll on an old road.

01:15Clear and simple this is a broken promise from a government that said no new tolls and here we are today.

01:21But the government says the scheme won't start for at least three years.

01:25We're seeking a mandate for this at the next election.

01:28So if drivers don't like it, they can change direction.

01:33And on the other day, we're trying to change direction.

01:36It's been a very easy case for indemnizing force to be the least.

01:40The government said there's no answer, but they can change direction.

01:42So if these are a country that makes it easier for you to manually put up.

01:44The government says there is no place that they can change direction.

01:48It's a very sustainable sector or the government has changed direction.

01:50So if drivers don't like it, you will have to change this direction.

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