Jacinta Allan calls on Transurban, ConnectEast to stop charging tolls to mark the opening of West Gate Tunnel
Premier Jacinta Allan has revealed the West Gate Tunnel will open in December, with long-suffering motorists to get free weekend travel on the $10.2bn toll road in January.
Premier Jacinta Allan has revealed the West Gate Tunnel will open in December, while long-suffering motorists are set to get free weekend travel on the $10.2bn toll road in January.
Ms Allan made the announcement of a December opening while touring a new elevated Footscray Rd that was built as part of the project, which connects the West Gate Freeway to CityLink and includes a new link to the Port of Melbourne.
Earlier on Thursday, Ms Allan had posted a letter she sent to toll operators – along with a caption saying “your move guys”, calling for them to provide free weekend travel later in the year to mark the road opening.
“Victorians would be thrilled if you offered some savings for them over the summer period on CityLink, EastLink — and the new Westgate Tunnel when it opens,” she said in her post.
“It’s a little way you can say thanks to every Victorian who has put up with short term disruption and changes to their travel, in exchange for better roads and faster journeys in the future.”
It followed the Premier’s announcement on Wednesday that there would be free travel for public transport passengers during weekends in December and January, to say thank you for their patience while building the $15.5bn Metro Tunnel.
That $15m gift will be paid for by taxpayers, whereas the toll-free rides in January will be revenue lost by private companies.
The Thursday morning social media post caught tolling operators off guard, but Transurban confirmed it had already been working with the Government on ways to say thank you to drivers – including free weekend travel on West Gate Tunnel in January.
Ms Allan brushed aside questions about whether her post was a “stunt”, but said discussions about some form of free ride for motorists had been held through the project’s construction. “I remember, years and years ago when I was the Minister for the project, when we talked about the day that this project would be completed, it had been suggested in meetings that this would be a good thing to do,” she said.
“There’s been no finalisation until it’s announced. We’ll come back to this.”
Ms Allan said the West Gate Tunnel, which is three years late and about $4bn over budget, would change travel patterns across Melbourne and save motorists travelling to and from the booming west.
Transurban will operate the new tunnel, adding it to its network of CityLink roads.
ConnectEast, which was also called to provide free travel in summer by the premier, operates EastLink.
The Herald Sun understands ConnectEast was given less than 24-hours of notice of the Premier’s letter, but Transurban was aware it was coming.
Transurban’s free travel offer is likely to be for the West Gate Tunnel only, not for CityLink roads.
“We’ve been working with government on ways to say thank you to Melburnian drivers travelling on the West Gate Tunnel including free weekend travel on West Gate Tunnel in January so that people can try the tunnels out over summer,” a spokesperson said.
ConnectEast will not lift tolls over the summer period, instead in a statement pointing out EastLink operated toll free for its first month when it opened in 2008.
It also said fare increases had been limited to inflation and cars were given a 20 per cent discount at the weekend and on public holidays.
“This 20 per cent discount has saved Victorians many millions of dollars each and every year,” EastLink said in a statement on Thursday morning.
“EastLink’s 20 per cent discount on car tolls will continue every weekend and public holiday throughout the summer and into the future.”
Melbourne commuters forked out a huge $987m to drive CityLink in 2024-25, working out at $2.7m a day.
About 829,000 drivers took to the CityLink every day in the year to July 2025.
Transurban hikes its fees by 4.25 per cent every year in Melbourne, and has done so since 2019, with new fees coming into effect every quarter.
For the remainder of this year, trips on CityLink in a car will be capped at $12.25.
Meanwhile, to drive the entire stretch of the EastLink in a car will cost a driver $7.77.
ConnectEast has only ever upped its prices in line with inflation once a year.
The Herald Sun revealed last year that those living closest to the city were copping some of the steepest toll fees, with those from Mornington Peninsula and Frankston seeing the highest rates.
Left-wing activists claim credit for hateful anti-police graffiti
