Premier Chris Minns confirms $60 weekly toll cap will continue, considers two-way Harbour Bridge tolling to fund permanent relief
Premier Chris Minns has confirmed the state’s $60 weekly toll cap will be extended, with two-way tolling on the Harbour Bridge and Tunnel now firmly on the table to help fund the scheme.
NSW Premier Chris Minns has confirmed the state’s $60 weekly toll cap will not end on January 1, announcing the government plans to extend the cost-of-living measure.
Mr Minns said the cap, which reimburses frequent toll users once they exceed $60 in charges each week, had become essential relief for hundreds of thousands of motorists in Western Sydney and the Central Coast.
“Well, we haven’t said this before, but the truth of the matter is we’re going to keep it. We can’t get rid of it,” the Premier told 2GB’s Ben Fordham.
“Without a $60 a week toll cap, they’d be paying full market rates to use toll roads in Sydney. It’s hugely, hugely onerous for them.”
He said the government could not “live with ourselves” if it were to effectively impose what he described as a “massive tax increase” on some of the state’s most stretched commuters.
But making the cap permanent will require significant funding, with the scheme costing the government about $200 million a year.
Mr Minns revealed a major policy shift under consideration, introducing two-way tolling on the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Tunnel.
Since coming to office, the government has established a state-owned tolling company, which will control the Western Harbour Tunnel once completed, as well as the Harbour Bridge, Harbour Tunnel and the M6.
“We’re considering two-way tolling on those harbour crossings in order to pay for the toll cap permanently for Western Sydney and Central Coast motorists,” he said on 2GB.
Currently, motorists only pay when travelling southbound. Changes would see tolls of between $2.60 and $4.20, depending on the time of day, apply in both directions.
Mr Minns said the move would ensure revenue stays in public hands rather than being handed to private toll operators, while also helping remove “rat-running” through backstreets to avoid charges.
“The benefit of this change will be, rather than collecting all of that revenue and effectively giving it to a private company who owns the monopoly… we’re keeping it in government hands and using that revenue to pay for toll relief,” he said.
He also said the reform would be fairer when considering transport access across the state.
“A lot of the communities that will use the Harbour Bridge have access to public transport. Many communities in Western Sydney and the Central Coast just don’t have anything like that,” he added.
The government is expected to make a final decision on permanent funding arrangements in the coming months.
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Originally published as Premier Chris Minns confirms $60 weekly toll cap will continue, considers two-way Harbour Bridge tolling to fund permanent relief
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