Tolls to rise despite traffic decline

Traffic along Brisbane’s tunnels more than halved during the COVID-19 lockdown. But that won’t stop drivers being slugged more for tolls in coming weeks.

TUNNEL tolls will increase from next month despite the coronavirus lockdown dramatically reducing traffic.

In a trading update posted to the ASX, toll operator Transurban said drivers deserted the Clem7, AirportlinkM7 and Legacy Way Tunnel, as well as the little-used Go Between Bridge.

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But while usage of Transurban’s two busiest southeast Queensland assets – the Logan and Gateway motorways – still fell, declines were more subdued than the tunnels.

Tolls are expected to rise in the new financial year, with the cost of a trip on the Logan and Gateway motorways expected to rise by about 5c and 8c respectively. Transurban would not verify what the rise in cost for tunnels would be.

During the height of lockdown in April, patronage on the AirportlinkM7 fell by a whopping 57 per cent compared to the same month last year, which was the biggest fall of any Transurban asset in Australia.

The Clem7 saw traffic fall by a whopping 53 per cent. Picture: Liam Kidston

Traffic on the Go Between Bridge, Clem7 and Legacy Way fell by 55 per cent, 53 per cent and 49 per cent respectively in April compared to the same month last year.

But the Logan Mwy and Gateway Mwy only reported declines of 24 and 42 per cent respectively in April, buoyed by freight traffic.

Easing restrictions have also seen motorists flood back.

So far this month, traffic along the Logan Mwy was only down three per cent on June 2019, while the AirportlinkM7 was still down 35 per cent on last June.

“As you’d expect, traffic on our roads in Brisbane fell significantly as COVID-19 restrictions came into place and many people stayed at home,” Transurban Queensland group executive Sue Johnson said.

“Our data shows us that drivers started returning to the roads in late April and we expect this trend to continue as Queensland Government restrictions continue to ease,” Ms Johnson said.