The Transport Workers’ Union continues to decry these rate increases which disproportionately slug owner drivers and small businesses every quarter.
Transport workers rely on access to NSW’s road network to conduct essential business that keeps the state moving. In many cases, such as with NorthConnex, drivers have no option but to use the toll road option.
Recent announcements from the NSW Government seem to indicate that toll relief for private vehicles will be winding up this year, however, with the review package underway, what will replace it is yet to be seen.
Small transport business continues to be in crisis, with owner drivers and business owners burdened with the use of toll roads, zeroing out of profit, and offered little relief thus far.
We have been consistently and relentlessly calling for fairness in this space. 3 Tonne trucks paying the same rate as a fully-loaded B-Double is a confounding inequity which is not tenable in the long term.
Workers are under increasing pressure, and July’s rate hike will only increase the problem.
The TWU says that enough is enough – any toll review package must review the impact of tolls holistically, on private commuters, but also transport operators and drivers which can no longer afford to operate in these conditions.