Time of day tolling begins on Sydney Harbour Bridge
January 27, 2009 by Matt Brogan
As of 6.30am this morning motorists crossing the Sydney Harbour Bridge will be charged a peak hour toll for the first time.
Time-of-day tolling, as it is known, is designed to ease traffic congestion on Sydney’s busiest road. However peak motoring organisations including the NRMA have opposed the new toll saying it is simply another tax which will do nothing to improve congestion.
“Time-of-day tolling will not help reduce congestion because there is no incentive for motorists to adjust their behaviour – even if they had a choice to do so,” said NRMA president Wendy Machin. “The Government is making motorists pay $1 more during peak hour in an attempt to get people to drive later, yet the toll in the middle of the day has not fallen. Even if it was to fall, the reality is most motorists have to drive at the time they do to start work, collect their children from school or meet an appointment.”
Ms Machin went on the say that leaving the car at home was not an option for many because of poor public transport options in north-west Sydney.
In peak periods, from 6.30am to 9.30am and 4pm to 7pm Monday to Friday, motorists will pay $4 under the new toll system. An off-peak toll of $2.50 applies between 7pm and 6.30am Monday to Friday and between 8pm and 8am at weekends and on public holidays.
A “shoulder” cost of $3 per car applies between 9.30am and 4pm Monday to Friday and 8am to 8pm on weekends and public holidays.
Print it: 
What?! why on earth would motorists drive later? Thats the lamest excuse for raising the toll, if people start work at 8, they aren’t gonna leave home at 7:55. Its common sense…although now they have to work longer hours just to pay fot the toll.
Are they onto something, or is it another money grab for this delightful govornment…….
I don’t live in Sydney, but is the hike in fees (besides making more money)to lure people into the tunnel?
I drive in from the Hills district into the city and start work at 9 am, it is costing me:
$4.80 – M2 motorway
$2.72 – Lane Cove Tunnel
$4 – Harbour Bridge.
Thats one way! Also this morning I noticed NO difference in traffic on the Harbour Bridge…its just pure money making!
The SHB is already paid for !
How much actual increased revenue is now made with these new charges ?
What will the money be actually spent on ?
What are the objectives of this ?
Possibly most (not all) of the unqualified or poor performing ‘goverment’ department ‘managers’ will just waste the money with their poor decision making skills.
Chris Says:
January 27th, 2009 at 10:49 am…..
Chris I am sorry to hear that you and others are being scammed so hard.
I HATE ALL TOLL ROADS REGARDLESS IN WHICH CITY/STATE THEY ARE IN!!
JUST PUT ALL FUELS UP SAY 0.03c/lt.[EXCEPT LPG ITS GREEN!] AND THEN MAKE ALL THE ROADS FREE.
TOLLS IS WHAT GOT JEFF BOOTED OUT OF VIC. GOV.CO
EASY?
CHEERS
F-0
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why should petrol g up mor ewe already pay 38c per liter in tax the bridge has paid for itself now what are out taxes for if we pay tolls then we should not hav to pay rewgo
There just sceewing more money out of us simple as that.It would not be to bad if thay put money to new roads motor ways but no that just get private companys to build then charge us more tolls then when thay dont meet the quota thay arsk the goverment for a hand out what a joke are road system has become.Can you imagine whats going to happen when we all start driving electric cars there gos all there petrol tax so guss what tolls and other taxs will go though the roof
Chris,
You spend $115 a week on Tolls? ($11.52 each way, 5 days a week)
Geez, glad I don’t have that much extra tax to pay.
On the other hand, Qld Transport just increased the rego on my SS by $94…………just becuase it has 2 cyls more than an Omega.
Huge taxes, speed cameras, congestion charges. We really are Little Britain.
Jason,
the 6cyl regos went up too.
I feel sorry for you guys.
It sounds like a total scam. At least they should be honest as to why they’re raising the fee, right? It’s all about revenue.
People can’t drive at different times as 99% go/leave work at a certain time so their excuse is a load of b/s.
I for one hate tolls and try to avoid them whenever I can here in Melbourne also.
Another desperate measure by a desperately broke state Government and as the NRMA have clearly stated, will do nothing to ease the congestion.
This government should has no clue and the sooner they are gone, the better we all will be. You simply couldn’t do any worse.
Has anyone thought of building a secondary Harbour Bridge, surely this would be a better use of taxpayer’s hard earned tax dollars.
The State MPs with their chauffeur driven cars are simply not equipped to make sensible decisions about matters which affect the punters who battle bad roads and poor traffic management, day in and day out.
Can the NSW Government please explain why there are taxes/toll’s in place on a bridge that was fully paid for by the motoring public way back in 1986?
Zorro,
I believe the RTA mentioned (a while back now) the toll was in place for maintenance of the bridge, seeing as they have to continually repaint it (to protect it from rust?). Since they now have the Bridge Climb, I find this hard to believe nowadays.
Andrew M,
Yep, 6 cyls up as well.
On top of stamp duty on the purchase going up recently.
For years it was 2%. Now I think it’s 3% 4cyl; 3.5% 6 Cyl, & 4% 8 cyl. Hybrids stay at 2%.
So in Qld, even if you change to toyotas fleet cars, (corolla & camry) you’re still getting stung. Even though the aurion sells in smallish number in Qld, it was slugged as well.
honeslt y all the extra tax we pay cannot possibly justify another pollution tax in the future
Labor must really think people are as stupid as they are but I guess that’s the price we pay for having another premier who has never had a license just like Carr.
Well, if it makes anyone feel better the M4 toll is to be abolished in 2010.
The extra toll really is a joke, just more money for the Government to mismanage. I am going to take great pleasure in voting Nathan and his cabinet of idiots out at the next election.