NSW Labor will crackdown on the toll on tolls – sneaky administration fees charged on top of tolls on drivers without an automated tag or pass, or whose tag goes undetected.
A Minns Labor Government will look to crackdown on these fees – or tolls on tolls – as part of Alan Fels’ review into the toll system.
These ‘Administration fees’ or ‘matching fees’ are a toll charge for millions of motorists that sit on top of the existing toll charges.
NSW has the highest rate of ‘no arrangement’ toll travel in the country, with an estimated more than 50 million toll notices issued for roads in NSW every year – with tolls on tolls varying between $1.10 per toll to $20.
Administration fees are charged by Transport for NSW and toll road operators when motorists have no payment arrangement in place, for example, drivers without an automated tag or pass, or when the tag or pass isn’t detected.
At present, motorists receive individual toll notices for every trip, and every notice attracts separate fees.
For example, if a motorist makes ten trips with no payment arrangement, they receive ten separate toll notices – each with its own administration fees.
Consolidating toll road notices will save motorists millions each year, with the approach already implemented in Queensland saving drivers $36 million per year.
Fees are set at $10 for the first notice and $20 for a second notice for someone without an account and $1.10 for the first notice and $2.20 for a second notice for someone with an account.
The Parliamentary inquiry heard that fees should be a reflection of the actual costs incurred rather than another stealth charge for using a toll road.
The change will make it compulsory for toll road operators to issue consolidated road toll notices for road users – saving motorists money.
The rules for consolidated toll notices and the future level of administration fees will be established as a part of Professor Allan Fels AO’s overhaul of the toll network.
Only NSW Labor has a fresh start plan to tackle the cost of tolls by introducing a $60 weekly toll cap, and overhauling the toll network – pressing operators for a better deal.
Under the Liberals – tolls have gotten out of control
The Liberals have imposed record new tolls on Sydney motorists since 2011:
- Drivers now have to pay $115 billion in tolls – nearly all of it to private toll road operators – making Sydney the most tolled city on Earth.
- 17 of the top 20 tolled suburbs are in Western Sydney – with some paying up to $6,000 a year in secret taxes.
- The NSW Government will pay close to a billion dollars in toll relief to people using privatised toll roads – effectively handing that money to private companies.
Quotes attributable to Chris Minns, NSW Labor leader:
“Drivers are being slugged tolls on their tolls. It’s adding insult to injury for motorists already paying Dominic Perrottet’s secret tax on families. It’s bordering on absurd and it’s got to stop.
“We can crackdown on these fees, it’s worked in other states and it should happen here.”
Quotes attributable to John Graham, NSW Shadow Minister for Roads:
“The last thing that someone under financial pressure needs is to have multiple letters in the mailbox with extra toll charges piling up. It can often be the last straw.
“An elected Labor Government would cap tolls at $60 per week and cut these tolling administration fees as Allan Fels begins the work of real long-term toll reform.”
CHRIS MINNS
NSW LABOR LEADER
JOHN GRAHAM
NSW SHADOW MINISTER FOR ROADS
