Sydney drivers paying upwards of $10,000 a year on tolls
09/16/2024 09:45 PM
Some individuals are even paying more than $30,000 for using NSW toll roads, with the majority of big spenders being from Sydney’s west.
Almost 1000 drivers in New South Wales are paying more than $10,000 a year on tolls, new data has shown.
According to figures released by the state's E-Toll provider, 901 motorists paid between $10,000 and $20,000 in the last financial year to end of June, with around a dozen spending upwards of $30,000.
And that doesn't even include businesses who use more than three tags or private account holders.
What's more, the true spend is likely much higher, as the latest data only applies to the NSW State Government-owned E-Toll billing provider, without considering tolls handled by private operator Linkt.
E-Toll users are spending $2.5 billion a year to drive on NSW toll roads – all of which are in the Sydney area – with the big-spending motorists mostly from the city’s west.
Based on the E-Toll data, WestConnex was the most popular toll road with 43 per cent of users, followed by the M7 at 16 per cent, M5 with 12 per cent, Sydney Harbour Bridge and Tunnel combining to represent 12 per cent, and the M2 at 8 per cent.
“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,” said NSW Roads Minister John Graham.
Earlier this year, the NSW Government introduced a $60 toll cap for drivers spending between $60 and $400 a week, with a rebate of up to $340 on offer for personal trips if using a private vehicle registered in the state.
In June, Melbourne’s CityLink gained the title of most profitable toll road in the world after netting its operators almost $13 billion since it opened in 2000 – making it the most profitable road run by Transurban globally.
Australians might feel like we pay too much for toll roads – but we're actually well down the list of the world's most expensive.
Drivers in New South Wales have the greatest grounds for complaint, however, as their state accounts for 13 of the 21 toll roads in operation in Australia.
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