NSW government working on 'Opal-style' toll billing system for motorists
The New South Wales Government is looking into an Opal-style fee system for Sydney's toll roads as the soaring cost of living turns drivers away.
Construction has just started on the new M6 Motorway tunnel which will link President Avenue in Brighton Le Sands to the M5 Arncliffe.
When the tunnel is completed in 2025 it will become Sydney's 14th toll road.
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The NSW government is discussing an Opal-style billing system for Sydney's toll roads. Nine
NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet said the government was aware of the burden tolls were putting on household budgets of Sydney families.
"The toll will be $2.20 each way. We know the cost of living is a challenge for families," Mr Perrottet said.
"We are looking at those issues at the moment and where we can put downward pressure on the system, we will."
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Tolls are increasingly becoming a burden for cash-strapped households. Wolter Peeters, The Sydney Morning Herald
In response to rising toll costs the state government is discussing an Opal-style toll system whereby a motorist is charged for how much of the city's network they use, instead of individual motorways.
As part of the system, the amount a motorist would pay would be capped at a weekly or daily sum regardless of how far they drive.
Heavy transport such as trucks may be forced to use motorways instead of cutting through quieter suburbs on roads that were not designed to cope with the weight and duration of the traffic.
While the plan is being worked on, 9News understands the Premier and Treasurer are looking to have a different toll plan in place by Christmas.
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