NSW Extends $60 Weekly Toll Cap, Mulls Two-Way Harbour Bridge Tolling

In a move to provide ongoing relief for Sydney drivers, the New South Wales government has announced plans to make permanent a $60 weekly cap on road tolls. The cap, which was introduced in early 2024 and was set to expire at the end of this year, will now continue indefinitely.

According to Premier Chris Minns, the toll cap is a "massive cost-of-living relief measure" for hundreds of thousands of people living in western Sydney, who would otherwise be "paying full market rates to use toll roads." An independent report found that Sydney drivers were spending $2.5 billion annually on tolls, with the greatest impact on residents of the western suburbs.

To fund the permanent toll cap, the government is considering reintroducing two-way tolling on state-owned assets, including the iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge and tunnel, as well as the upcoming Western Harbour Tunnel and M6 Motorway. Minns stated that this approach would be the "fairest thing to do" as many western Sydney and Central Coast communities lack access to reliable public transportation alternatives.

The toll cap, which is costing the government around $200 million per year, was originally allocated $561 million over two years. However, motorists lost the right to claim about $100 million in unclaimed rebates in June.

As the government continues negotiations with toll operator Transurban to unify all tolling under a newly-created agency, NSW Motorways, the premier has emphasized the importance of keeping people using the toll roads, as that was the original purpose for their construction.