NSW families slugged $477 a week just to get around

Filling up has never been more expensive - but a new report shows transport costs in NSW have skyrocketed. See how much more you’re paying.

Sydney families are struggling with soaring transport costs, which have jumped 16 per cent in the past year alone.

Getting around is now costing the average family $477 per week — $110 more than the national average, and $65 more than they were paying at the same time in 2020, according to a new report.

Soaring petrol prices (up $6.06 per week in the latest quarter alone) have been blamed for the hip-pocket blowout, but increasing costs of tolls, loan payments and maintenance are all adding up.

Transport taxes – including fuel excise, registration, compulsory third party insurance and licensing – now cost the typical two-car Aussie family $2717 per year.

The latest Affordability Index from the Australian Automobile Association (AAA) found the cost of transport was going up markedly across all states and territories, in city and country areas.

The average Australian city household now pays $19,117 on annual transport costs, or 14.8 per cent of household income, the AAA found. In Sydney the figure is even higher, at $24,833 per year.

Sydney motorists are also paying the most for their fuel of anywhere in the country, with weekly average outlay at the bowser of $81.67 – more than $4 above the national figure.

The weekly average transport cost for Sydney families in the third quarter of 2021 was $477.56 — massively more than the national average ($367.63), and the average for capital cities ($401.86).

There are concerns these costs are set to increase even further, with petrol tipped to go beyond $2 per litre and a recent AAA survey showing Aussie motorists are more likely to drive for

both work and holiday over the coming months as Covid restrictions ease.

NRMA spokesperson Peter Khoury. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Bianca De Marchi

Transport Minister Rob Stokes. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Swift

With a federal election in 2022, AAA Managing Director Michael Bradley said the report “is a timely reminder that cost of living pressures are rising and that policies that further increase transport costs need to be avoided”.

NRMA spokesman Peter Khoury said the latest cost findings were not a surprise.

“Australians are now paying the highest fuel prices on record and it is clearly hurting family budgets,” he said.

The AAA also researched transport costs in a number of regional centres across the country and found Wagga Wagga was one of the cheapest, with average costs of $309.41 per family per week — but even this was an increase of $60.51 per week on 2020, Mr Khoury said.

“Fuel expenditure increased in Sydney from $63.16 a week in 2020 to $81.67 a week this year. In Wagga Wagga it went from $42.77 to $53.89 per week,” he said.

Canberra households also paid a “staggering” $386.38 per week to get around the capital, Mr Khoury said.

Roz Fahmy parks 3 days a week in the CBD. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

Transport minister Rob Stokes said the NSW Government had “put hundreds of millions of dollars back in the pockets of working families in the past financial year, through various transport and roads relief, cashback and savings schemes that place downward pressure on the household budget”.

With regard to tolls, the government revealed 198,508 customers had benefited from its toll relief scheme in the 2020-21 financial year, while the Fare Go For Drivers scheme also offered licence concessions for around 39,000 motorists per month.

Mr Bradley said there were a number of things the federal government could do to ease the cost pressures on motorists, including dropping taxes and implementing real world emissions testing for new vehicles.

An AAA pilot study in 2019 tested 30 popular vehicles on Australian roads and found 59 per cent used more fuel than advertised.

Federal Transport Minister Barnaby Joyce did not comment.