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NatRoad continues to push for immediate toll relief

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The National Road Transport Association (NatRoad) has praised a NSW Parliamentary Committee report that recommends immediate toll relief for road freight operators.

The recommendation is one of several made by the NSW Legislative Council Transport Committee this week following its inquiry into road tolling regimes.

In May last year, NatRoad gave evidence to the inquiry, calling for toll rebates or multi-trip discounts for trucks.

It also advocated for the creation of an independent tolling authority to administer toll operator contracts.

NatRoad CEO Warren Clark said he was happy to hear the committee had echoed the association’s call for extending current toll relief schemes to the road freight industry to encourage trucks off suburban streets.

“This is a practical solution to a so far intractable problem and it is one that the dominant toll road operator in NSW, Transurban, could easily introduce,” Clark said.

“Tolls are a huge impost on heavy vehicle operators in major Australian cities and especially in Sydney where they are excessive.

“NatRoad continues to engage with the NSW Government about its consideration of other changes to the tolling system.”

Though Clark added that the report does not go as far as recommending establishment of an independent tolling authority with the powers NatRoad believes it needs.

“Setting up a Tolling Ombudsman to adjudicate on complaints is at least a step in the right direction,” Clark said.

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