Harbour Bridge northbound toll: No decision made as Central Coast Labor MPs fight to get it off the table

No decision has been made on introducing a northbound toll on the Harbour Bridge however local Labor MPs are fighting to get it off the table saying coasties would be among the hardest hit.

Central Coast Labor MPs are fighting to stamp out any notion of a future northbound Harbour Bridge toll, saying coasties would be among the hardest hit.

However the State Government is saying there are no plans in place for a northbound toll with NSW Treasurer Matt Kean dismissing the idea this week.

Labor has been lobbying against the move after the idea appeared in a recent Transport for NSW (TfNSW) document on community submissions for the Beaches Link and Gore Hill Freeway Connection.

“The traffic assessment and modelling carried out for the environmental impact statement assumes that tolls would apply to all north and southbound trips on all harbour crossings in the future, including two-way tolling on the Western Harbour Tunnel and Beaches Link tunnel,” the report stated.

The idea of a northbound toll was floated in a recent Transport for NSW report. Picture: Damian Shaw

When contacted by the Express, TfNSW stated “The government has not made a decision on the future tolling strategy for the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Tunnel”.

Local Labor MPs say that Central Coast commuters who drive across the Harbour Bridge each weekday during peak periods would be looking at more than $1440 per year if a northbound toll was introduced.

Motorists pay $4 per trip to cross the bridge during peak hour and have never had to pay a northbound toll.

Coasties have been speaking out with Brooklyn resident Warren Dom saying the thought of extra tolls adds to his financial pressure.

Central Coast Labor MPs Liesl Tesch, David Mehan, Yasmin Catley and David Harris want to get the idea completely ruled out.

“I easily use the bridge eight times a week, and it’s an extra cost that will quickly stack up,” he said.

Kanwal’s Karen Farley also fears that the additional tolls will mean that her regular trips to St Vincent’s Hospital for healthcare would cost more.

“I already pay so much in tolls to access critical healthcare as a transplant patient at St Vincent’s Hospital,” she said.

“Knowing that I will be slapped with another toll is incredibly frustrating, especially when all I am trying to do is see my doctors and stay healthy.”

Gosford state Labor MP Liesl Tesch said the government was refusing to rule out the option.

“We need to call this out,” she told the Express.

“The Central Coast will be among the hardest hit with the coast of living at the moment. We also have low socio economic areas that shouldn’t need to pay more.

Ms Tesch said coasties would be among the hardest hit. Picture: Jonathan Ng

“Another toll would add hundreds of extra travel costs to thousands of Coasties who already can’t afford the bills. Currently it’s free to cross the bridge and head north to the Coast.”

Labor attempted to stamp the idea out entirely lodging a Notice of Motion in parliament, however it was voted down.

Wyong state Labor MP David Harris said “the NSW Liberal Government is addicted to tolls and it would be a travesty for Central Coast commuters to pay further tolls on routes their taxes have already paid for.”

“The Premier should immediately rule out tolls on North bound lanes of both the Harbour Bridge and Sydney Harbour Tunnel,” he said.

Swansea state Labor MP Yasmin Catley said after “an extremely difficult 18 months, the last thing workers and business owners need is to be hit with a $720 rise in toll fees”.

Member for The Entrance, David Mehan said “Commuters already pay to go down to work, they shouldn’t have to pay to come home.”