November 11, 2024

URGENT REFORM NEEDED AS TRANSURBAN’S EXPLOITATIVE TOLL SYSTEM THREATEN SYDNEY’S ESSENTIAL GOODS NETWORK

The Transport Workers’ Union of NSW (TWU) is calling for urgent reform to Transurban’s exploitative tolling system after new data revealed businesses are being forced to pay multimillion-dollar toll bills just to deliver essential goods across Sydney’s network.

E-toll tag data found annual toll bills for Sydney’s top paying 1000 businesses between July 2023 and June 2024 ranged from over $46,900, to one company shelling out more than $7.4 million to use the city’s 13 toll roads.

The NSW Government projects businesses could face a toll burden of more than $25 million annually by 2060 under existing toll schemes. With tolls expected to reach $106 for a single truck trip on the NorthConnex by that same year, Sydney’s tolling system is on track to stifle logistics networks and unfairly penalise essential service providers.

In July, the TWU welcomed recommendations from former ACCC chair Allan Fels’ Independent Toll Review which urged fairer tolling measures for transport operators and users.

TWU NSW State Secretary Richard Olsen said Transurban’s tolling system was putting a stranglehold on the essential services all Sydneysiders rely on.

“When businesses are forced to pay exorbitant toll bills just to keep goods moving, it’s clear the system is broken and urgently in need of reform.”

“What we’re seeing is a ticking time bomb. If tolls hit over $100 per trip as predicted, the impact on essential service transport providers will be catastrophic. Our economy simply can’t bear this burden and neither can the workers or businesses delivering critical goods to the people of NSW.”

“The Independent Toll Review made it clear: fairer tolling measures aren’t just needed—they’re essential. We’re calling on the government to act before our logistics networks are driven to breaking point by Transurban’s toll demands.”

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