Push to block the return of M4 toll

Daily users of the M4 will soon find themselves forking out thousands of extra dollars a year as tolls are reinstated on the busy motorway.

The state government says the WestConnex will cut travel times on the M4.

Daily users of the M4 will soon find themselves forking out thousands of extra dollars a year as tolls are reinstated on the busy motorway.

A cut in commute times will come at a major cost to Parramatta drivers — up to $2000 each year for those who use the highway five days a week.

Distance-based tolls of between $1.63 and $4.21 will begin once widening of the M4 to four lanes in each direction on a 7.5-kilometre stretch between Parramatta and Homebush is completed in the coming months.

The $500 million road widening project between is part of the $16.8 billion WestConnext project due to be completed by 2023.

NSW Opposition leader Luke Foley is campaigning against the reintroduction of tolls on the M4.

Labor has been massing signatures against the reinstated toll with Opposition leader and Auburn state MP Luke Foley calling for a debate in parliament.

The Opposition looks close to that goal with more than 10,000 people signing a petition against reintroduction of tolls for the M4.

In the latest salvo against the toll, a giant mobile billboard travelling through western Sydney suburbs asking Premier Gladys Berejiklian what she’s got against western Sydney forms the centrepiece of a Labor campaign launched on Monday.

Mr Foley claims the Berejiklian government signed a toll agreement which will see a four per cent increase every year — two-and-a-half times the current rate of inflation.

“It’s a triple whammy for western Sydney motorists,” Mr Foley said.

A Labor state government removed the tolls on the M4 in 2010.

“New tolls on un-tolled roads; toll increases well above the rate of inflation; and tolls right out until the 2060s.

“This Premier’s record on western Sydney is woeful. Her first act was to ditch the western Sydney portfolio, her second to abandon a light rail through Sydney Olympic Park, and now she’s imposing a tax on western Sydney motorists,” Mr Foley said.

“Sydneysiders have already paid for this road — that’s why Labor lifted the tolls seven years ago.”

Granville state Labor MP Julia Finn said she had “an overwhelming response from the community about the unpopular and unfair new M4 toll”.

“Granville motorists are sick of being gouged and many simply cannot afford an extra $45 a week to get to and from work.”

Granville state Labor MP Julia Finn said the tolls were ‘unfair’.

But Minister for WestConnex Stuart Ayres said Labor had been asleep at the wheel.

“This is cheap politics from Labor. They ignored the road infrastructure needs of western Sydney for 16 years. Now they want to sell western Sydney short again. The government is considering options in relation to the toll,” he said.

“If Labor don’t plan to charge a toll on the M4 East or the New M5 tunnel then they must explain how they plan to pay for both roads and the final section of WestConnex, the M4-M5 link tunnel.

“If they have no plan to build the M4-M5 link tunnel, then Labor must explain where the traffic at the end of the M5 will go and the same for the M4. More traffic snarls!

“Roads cost money to build. If Labor doesn’t want to charge a toll they need to outline the $16.8 billion dollars in savings required to pay for the roads that make up WestConnex.”