Nearly 1,000 drivers facing toll costs over $10,000—is reform coming soon?
- Replies 6
Navigating the roads of New South Wales can be costly, and for nearly 1,000 drivers, the price of travel has hit the roof, with annual toll bills soaring to $10,000 or more.
This staggering figure has left many motorists in shock and disbelief as the financial burden of simply getting from A to B becomes increasingly heavy.
These eye-watering expenses were revealed in newly released individual e-toll data, which, for the first time, shed light on the exact toll costs shouldered by NSW drivers.
Among the most affected are dozens of account holders who spend over $30,000 annually on tolls alone and 901 drivers who spend between $10,000 and $20,000 annually.
This data, sourced from the government-owned e-toll provider servicing more than 1.4 million users, has excluded business accounts and private account holders with more than three tags linked.
However, the true scale of the issue may be even greater, as the figures do not account for users with tags from the privately owned toll provider Linkt.
The breakdown of toll usage between 1 July 2023 and 30 June 2024 highlighted WestConnex as the most frequented toll road, with 43 per cent of motorists using it.
The M7 was followed by theM5, which had 16 per cent, the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Tunnel, which had 12 per cent, and the M2, which had 8 percent.
Collectively, NSW drivers are pouring a whopping $2.5 billion a year into tolls, a sum that has prompted urgent calls for reform.
Roads Minister John Graham has voiced his concern, stating that the data clearly indicate that the state's toll system requires immediate attention.
‘The toll bills at the upper end of the scale are eye-watering in their magnitude and only reinforce the pressing need for toll reform in Sydney,’ he said.
‘We have nearly 1000 motorists whose annual spend on tolls is in excess of $10,000, which is a significant impost no matter who you are—but the fact is that the drivers paying these sky-high bills are in our western suburbs or central coast where people can least afford it.’
This measure includes a rebate of up to $340 for personal toll trips in a private vehicle registered in NSW.
Despite this relief, Minister Graham acknowledges that more work is needed to overhaul the toll system.
Projections indicate that, if left unchecked, the toll network could cost motorists an astronomical $195 billion over the next 35 years.
‘Toll reform is critical for Sydney, and this is a once-in-a-generation chance to address it while we continue to offer vital toll relief through the $60 toll cap,’ Mr Graham continued.
‘Sydney is a place in which people make choices about where they work and how they get around based on the need to avoid paying tolls.’
‘The problem grows each year. Over decades, it will become unsustainable, and we must act now to create a fairer system.’
In other news, Aussie drivers are reminded they can claim up to $1,552 in rebates from the NSW government for toll road usage since July 2022.
To claim, drivers should log into their Service NSW account and select the 'claim your toll rebate' option. You can read more about it here.
Are you one of the nearly 1,000 NSW drivers facing hefty annual toll bills? How do you think the NSW government should address the rising toll costs? Let us know in the comments below.
This staggering figure has left many motorists in shock and disbelief as the financial burden of simply getting from A to B becomes increasingly heavy.
These eye-watering expenses were revealed in newly released individual e-toll data, which, for the first time, shed light on the exact toll costs shouldered by NSW drivers.
Among the most affected are dozens of account holders who spend over $30,000 annually on tolls alone and 901 drivers who spend between $10,000 and $20,000 annually.
Nearly 1,000 NSW drivers spend over $10,000 a year on tolls, with some paying more than $30,000. Credit: Shutterstock
This data, sourced from the government-owned e-toll provider servicing more than 1.4 million users, has excluded business accounts and private account holders with more than three tags linked.
However, the true scale of the issue may be even greater, as the figures do not account for users with tags from the privately owned toll provider Linkt.
The breakdown of toll usage between 1 July 2023 and 30 June 2024 highlighted WestConnex as the most frequented toll road, with 43 per cent of motorists using it.
The M7 was followed by theM5, which had 16 per cent, the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Tunnel, which had 12 per cent, and the M2, which had 8 percent.
Collectively, NSW drivers are pouring a whopping $2.5 billion a year into tolls, a sum that has prompted urgent calls for reform.
Roads Minister John Graham has voiced his concern, stating that the data clearly indicate that the state's toll system requires immediate attention.
‘The toll bills at the upper end of the scale are eye-watering in their magnitude and only reinforce the pressing need for toll reform in Sydney,’ he said.
‘We have nearly 1000 motorists whose annual spend on tolls is in excess of $10,000, which is a significant impost no matter who you are—but the fact is that the drivers paying these sky-high bills are in our western suburbs or central coast where people can least afford it.’
This measure includes a rebate of up to $340 for personal toll trips in a private vehicle registered in NSW.
Despite this relief, Minister Graham acknowledges that more work is needed to overhaul the toll system.
Projections indicate that, if left unchecked, the toll network could cost motorists an astronomical $195 billion over the next 35 years.
‘Toll reform is critical for Sydney, and this is a once-in-a-generation chance to address it while we continue to offer vital toll relief through the $60 toll cap,’ Mr Graham continued.
‘Sydney is a place in which people make choices about where they work and how they get around based on the need to avoid paying tolls.’
‘The problem grows each year. Over decades, it will become unsustainable, and we must act now to create a fairer system.’
In other news, Aussie drivers are reminded they can claim up to $1,552 in rebates from the NSW government for toll road usage since July 2022.
To claim, drivers should log into their Service NSW account and select the 'claim your toll rebate' option. You can read more about it here.
.png){kind=icon}
