Lane Cove Tunnel
NOTHING here for motorcycle ridersOn the left in the picture below is a bicycle lane and pedestrian path.
That cost $6 million extra for the road engineering, to be paid for by your tolls. An E-Tag only toll road. Result for motorcycle riders? - Same toll as cars. FOUR TIMES correct toll rate
- Need an E-Tag to use it, or pay $10 extra admin costs each trip
- E-Tag doesn't work
- Riders are sent Enforcement Notices, demanding costs and the unpaid toll
- Huge inconvenience to riders managing the large number of letters
- Easier to not use toll roads, hence use less safe secondary roads
- Government claims it's the rider's problem
- $90 million a year spent on toll subsidy for M4/M5
- No planning for motorcycles
- No cash projections for motorcycle toll collections
- Contracts don't include income from motorcycles, so why charge at all?
- Riders happy to pay the correct toll rate at one-quarter car rate but prevented from paying by inappropriate technology
Face it, cashless toll roads are for the convenience and profit of the toll collector. Less lanes at faster flows. Less toll booths, less staff. You don't have to build as much road to make a big profit if you can force all drivers to buy your E-Tags. It's socially divisive for retirees and people from in or out of the city who make infrequent trips. It's for commuters only, negating public transport. 
Photo courtesy of Geoff Breach
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