Melbourne’s CityLink named Australia’s most expensive toll road costing drivers thousands

As the state’s newest toll road opens to the public, new data finds Melbourne drivers are paying the ultimate price on just one route — which generates nearly $1 billion in revenue annually.

As Victorians set off on the West Gate Tunnel, analysis has revealed they are already spending big on toll roads.

Drivers on Melbourne’s CityLink are being slugged upwards of $6000 a year, with trips of up to $12.25 per journey, making it the nation’s most expensive toll road.

Victoria also plays host to another of the nation’s 10 most expensive roads.

EastLink, the ninth costliest, charges commuters up to $7.77 per use.

iSelect general insurance manager, Adrian Bennett said the research “highlights just how much Melbourne drivers are handing over in tolls”.

“For someone using it twice a day, five days a week, that’s more than $122 a week or around $6,370 a year.”

Melbourne drivers are spending big on tolls. Picture: NewsWire / Andrew Henshaw

“It’s a significant hit to the household budget, especially when you consider CityLink generates some of the highest toll revenues in the country.”

CityLink is owned by Australia’s biggest toll road operator Transurban, which the Herald Sun revealed in August raked in nearly $1bn from Melbourne drivers in the past year.

It made the CityLink the second highest-earning road in the country.

The company has full or partial ownership of 18 toll roads across Australia, dominating the toll landscape.

The iSelect analysis showed Victorian commuters are currently paying $3.88 more in toll prices compared to figures from 2015.

Melbourne’s inner-east holds the state’s priciest commutes, with Boroondara and Whitehorse drivers hit with approximately $7.35 for each minute they save using toll roads.

Longer commutes through Whittlesea, Brimbank, and Casey are the most cost-effective, ranging between $1 and $2.53 per minute saved.

Mr Bennett said while Melbourne does have the priciest road, it has far less tolls overall compared to Sydney’s thirteen and Brisbane’s seven.

The new West Gate Tunnel will bring Victorians their latest toll road. Picture: David Caird

He shared that Victoria’s toll roads are among the longest in the country, “offering more bang for their buck”.

“The good news is there are plenty of toll-free alternatives. If you’re looking to keep costs down, setting your GPS to avoid toll roads where possible could save you thousands over the year, money that’s often better spent elsewhere,” he said.

A Transurban spokesman said that “on average” CityLink customers spend just over $6 a week on tolls, with 84 pre cent spending less than $10 a week.

“Customers continue to experience travel time savings of up to 30 minutes on trips using CityLink and have done so consistently for more than 15 years, even as Melbourne’s population has grown by around 1.3 million people in that time,” the spokesman said.

Toll prices on CityLink are set under an agreement with the Victorian Government. They rise by 1.05 per cent each quarter (equivalent to 4.25 per cent annually) to 30 June 2029, and quarterly by CPI thereafter.

Originally published as Melbourne’s CityLink named Australia’s most expensive toll road costing drivers thousands