Bridge toll increase will create gridlock
January 15, 2009 by Matt Brogan
The NSW Acting Opposition Leader Andrew Stoner says alternate routes into Sydney’s CBD will become virtual car parks when the Harbour Bridge toll increases in a fortnight’s time.
Sydney motorists are already choosing alternate routes into the city after the bridge removed cash tolling points. Many motorists also claim the Government makes it too difficult to get an e-tag or new e-toll pass.
“Already we’re seeing something like 2000 extra cars come via Victoria Road into the city as a result of that cashless tolling,” Mr Stoner said. “That protest will be even greater when the toll goes from $3 to $4 during peak times.”
He said Premier Nathan Rees must act before January 27 to alter his plan to increase the toll to avoid gridlock on key roads to the city.
“We could well see thousands more cars using Victoria Road and the Gladesville Bridge,” he said. “It will be like a car park unless something is done now.”
The toll on the bridge will rise by $1 from during morning and afternoon peak periods.
Print it: 
The people of NSW getting stuffed around by in incompetent government once again.
The Opposition leader obviously doesn’t drive himself otherwise he would have realised that during peak hour all of Sydneys major roads a such as Patrramatta Road; Victoria Road; etc as well as the Anzac and Harbour Bridge are already Virtual Car Parks – cars are lucky to get out of 1str let alone 2nd gear.
Which then blocks up the back streets linking the major roads as drivers try to find an alternative route.
Inorder to fix this problem the NSW government decide to build more roads which will become toll roads. This does nothing more except move the traffic black spots etc to new locations
I agree Simon the NSW motorists are paying for the governments incometence and inaction.
As I have said before. NSW has a population of approximately 4m people and at the moment has 5-6 tollroads. Whereas SA has a population of approximately 1m people and has NO tollroads…. neither does WA
Yet you would think given that SA has less people to collect taxes from to fund the construction and maintenance of the road network [which is just as extensive as NSW] that SA would have more Tollroads.
Makes you wonder what happened to the Profits form the 2000 Olympics
Firstly a toll existing at all on a bridge that we have already payed for is more than a little hard to swallow. The NSW government uses the excuse that the harbour tunnel is one reason for the continuation of this toll. So shouldn’t we only pay a toll for using the tunnel and not get charged for using the bridge?
To further increase the overpriced toll will obviously create havoc on the already choked roads into and out of the city as people avoid the bridge. They have effectively created a ‘peak hour’ tax on the users of the bridge without providing a reliable public transport system as an alternative to driving.
Seems our hard earned tax dollars are once again being used elsewhere and not being reinvested into crucial areas such as road upgrades, public transport and driver training.
Saw79 totally agree with you…
the tax dollars go straight into politician pockets in terms of fringe benefits, retirement package…
I reckon they should make public transport free or at least subsidies the rates. once free, people would be encourage to use them and freeing up the roads.
currently to take a bus into the city from st leonards is $3.40 so why take a bus when you can pay toll for $4 bucks. A train ticket at peak hour is $6 bucks into the city is totally crazy!
The NSW State Government we have at the moment is not only broke but would have to be the most incompetent bunch of fools I have ever witnessed.
Fact – Labour Governments have already sent every state in Australia broke and now they will do the same with Australia inc, Just watch them.
They will stop at nothing to bleed the average punter bone dry, so this toll increase is only the start!!
I still remember when thay said the toll would go as soon as the brige was paid for . Yeh right once there is taxs in place the only thing that happens is thay just increase them.
Exactly TopDog . Statewide Roads; the company that built the 10 Km extension of the F4/M4 from Blacktown to Parramatta recovered the cost to build the road years ago however; the Toll booths will remain in place until the contract ends in 2010 to help pay for repairs and maintenance [what maintenace?]
Given the fact that the NSW gummint is broke don’t be surprised if the Toll booths remain long after 2010 [same goes for the other Tollroads]
Don’t care North siders can afford it.
Cashless toll has got to aid traffic flow rather than stopping or or slowing for manual tolls.
Over ten years of Howard screwing the battlers so I suppose it’s payback time.LOL
This broke state thing is a real beatup.LOL.
Tough times ahead for all unfortunately.
Gee if I need to cross the bridge should be a good run due to all of the idiots avoiding it.LOL.
Wish they done this two years ago when I travelled to the Northshore everyday in the mighty AUute!!!
Two hours travel each way bumper to bumper.These whingers need to harden the F**K up!
Liberal Opposition Leader wouldn’t know if his Rs was on fire.LOL.
The State Governemtn along with the Roads and Traffic Authority are responsible for designing building and maintaining a road network to assist people in getting around the metropolita area quickly and easily.
However; by introducing Toll roads people are having to pay for something which he government should do bwith the money they receive from taxes etc. which really annoys people – particularly when the private companies who operate the motorways refuse to accept 5c coins even though all other companies must take them as they are still legal tender.
Then by forcing people to switch over to an e-tag means that people are being hit yet again not only to buy the e-tag but to maintain the account etc.. including out those people who live in the Blue Mountains Newcastle or Wollongong for example and would only visit the big smoke no more than 12 times a year if that.
If NSW motorists have to pay privste firms to use their roads then why not privatise the RTA as well?
Clearly the fuel taxes we motorist pay don’t cover the building and maintenance of the road network.
Sorry, sarcasm is the lowest form of wit. Our government see motorists as cash cows, if every cent we paid in fuel tax was spent on roads, we would be driving on gold. The government need to remember, these are the roads we own.
Thats it alex we already pay over 9 billion in petrol and registration taxs not to mention every other tax for road users and thay gave back like 4 billion to the roads . Then tell us thay cant afford to build toll roads so thay just wipe there hands of it and private companys build it then tax us more for something we already paid for . Then if thay dont make money the nthe goverment hand s out money to them unbeliveable realy
TopDog they need the other $5bn to pay for all the other
c–k ups the government makes.
BTW I believe that Former NSW Premier Nick Greiner was/is a board mameber of the companies that operate the M4 M5 M2 and M7…
Nick Greiner who came up with the idea to introduce Toll-Roads to NSW as he believed there was no other way for the govt to build and maintain the roads NSW needed.. they didin’t have the money or the resources
He said without the help of private companies NSW motorists would be waiting years for a world class road network…. Aaahh they’re still waiting Nick!
doco in 10 mins on the ABC Constructing Australia,The Bridge.
Sounds like you people should run the country not them idiots..
Sydney siders paid the Harbour Bridge off in full way back in 1986, so why do the tolls still exist over 20 years later ?
People we need to take the power back!
Polliticians must learn that to keep putting their hands in our pockets will hurt them.
And we must make sure they hurt.
realcars Says:
January 15th, 2009 at 2:02 pm
“Don’t care North siders can afford it.”
Ahh yes the Labor heartland mentality. That’ll get you far I’m sure!
“Over ten years of Howard screwing the battlers so I suppose it’s payback time.LOL”
Howard actually never screwed the battlers to the degree that Labor faithful like you believe – if you look closely you’ll find Labor screws their own constituents. When was the last time the State Labor Government invested in infrastructure and services in suburbs that have always blindly vote Labor?
BTW even with Federal Labor in power it’ll be plebs like you who are paying for the roads and infrastructure the high-flyers use on a daily basis.
“Tough times ahead for all unfortunately.”
Not me mate – I’ll keep consulting to the blue-chips and laugh at poor sods like you who had to drive an AU Falcon.
“Two hours travel each way bumper to bumper.These whingers need to harden the F**K up!”
So you travelled four hours a day just to get to and from work? You either loved your job or are mentally slow. I’d suggest a change in profession mate.