A Chris Minns Labor Government will keep the Sydney Harbour Tunnel toll concession in public hands and return revenue from both the Sydney Harbour Tunnel and the Sydney Harbour Bridge to drivers in the form of toll relief.
Dominic Perrottet and the NSW Liberals have created a toll monster in New South Wales. Sydney is the most tolled city in the world.
He signed the contracts to privatise our roads and create a toll road monopoly that is driving a hole in the back pocket of Sydney motorists.
The average toll revenue per year for both of these assets are:
- Harbour Bridge: $85-86 million per year
- Harbour Tunnel: $47-48 million per year
Diverting this money towards toll relief is just one reason why under Labor tolls would be cheaper than under this Government.
The NSW Budget 2022-2023 leaves a cloud around the future of tolls on the Sydney Harbour Tunnel. The toll concession for the tunnel expires on 31 August 2022, yet no mention is made of the future of tolling arrangements on the tunnel, indeed total toll revenue continues to rise by an average of 14.3 per cent, per annum 2021-2022 to 2025-2026.
Comments attributable to Leader of the Opposition Chris Minns:
“We know from the Premier’s track record on privatisation that he would love to sell this toll road.”
“While the Premier would hand the Harbour Bridge or Harbour Tunnel over to private operators, Labor will retain this in public ownership and put all that money into toll relief.”
“This is the first step to toll relief for New South Wales motorists, under Labor, and we’ll have more to say as we get closer to the next election.”
Comments attributable to Shadow Minster for Roads John Graham:
“Drivers have paid off over the years the cost of the Sydney Harbour Tunnel’s construction multiple times over.”
“We want to return that money to drivers in the form of desperately needed toll relief.”
Labor has criticised the Government’s toll relief package in the Budget as one step forward, and one step back for drivers, gaining toll relief, but losing free registration, and with some driver getting no help – hard working truckies are one example.
The Opposition has introduced the Roads Amendment (Tolling Transparency) Bill 2022 to the Parliament today which will:
- introduce transparency and independent oversight to tolling regimes
- release toll information
- introduce decision point signage on toll roads
The Opposition will release a full tolling package closer to the NSW Election and informed by the outcomes of the Legislative Council inquiry and Treasury Review.
CHRIS MINNS MP
LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION
JOHN GRAHAM MLC
SHADOW MINISTER FOR ROADS
