Another $480k added to $5.4m bill for Independent Toll Review

Taxpayers have been slugged another $480,000 for consultants to work on the never-ending Toll Review ... which has already cost $5.4m without delivering any savings for motorists.

Transport Minister John Graham has been accused of taking motorists for a ride, after the Minns government slugged taxpayers another $480,000 for consultants to work on the never-ending Toll Review.

Two years to the day since Mr Graham announced an ­independent probe into Sydney toll road prices, taxpayers are still paying for a growing list of consultants to help ­reform the system.

The Saturday Telegraph can reveal Transport for NSW has added an extra $484,655 to the toll reform bill, while so-far failing to deliver any real savings for motorists.

According to a contract award notices published last month, Transport for NSW paid consultancy firm Deloitte $165,000 for two months of “expert advisory ­services for toll reform analysis, policy and implementation”, from November 28 last year to January 30.

Bureaucrats have also paid advisory company BDO Services almost $320,000 to “analyse and define a pricing structure for the Tolling Review program”.

Transport Minister John Graham announced an ­independent probe into Sydney toll road prices two years ago. Picture: Gaye Gerard

That work appears to mirror that already done by Mr Fels and co-author David Cousins, who were paid almost $2m to probe toll road prices.

The Independent Toll Review, which cost taxpayers $5.4m, recommended distanced-based tolling and a new northbound charge on the Harbour Bridge.

Putting a new toll on the Harbour Bridge would be used as a way to bring down prices for motorists travelling longer distances, particularly from Western Sydney, but would break an election promise.

Mr Graham defended the latest consultant cash splash, saying that the former government spent far more.

“The NSW Liberals spent $14.6m on private consultants in selling off half of WestConnex,” he said.

“This included $11.8m on ­financial advice for this portion of just one toll road,” he said.

“They left behind a $195bn toll bill and we are working to tip the entire system back in favour of motorists.”

It is understood BDO Services conducted traffic modelling as part of toll negotiations, and Deloitte provided advice on ­infrastructure investment.

The government argued that the new contractors did not overlap with the work already done by Professor Fels.

The latest consultant spend comes after The Telegraph revealed taxpayers are being slugged $130,000 every week for “legal advice” on toll review.

“Labor are taking the public for a ride,” opposition transport spokeswoman Natalie Ward said. “If they won’t tell you the plan, it must not be a very good one for motorists.”

Siblings Nicole and Shaun Piggott have reduced delivery days for their two businesses, selling Mini Melts ice cream and medical gas cylinders in southwest Sydney, after copping costs of up to $350 per week.

“It would be better to deliver five days but it incurs such an inflated cost to have trucks on the road each day,” Ms Piggott said.

“We’ve been completely left out when it comes to toll ­reform.”

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