MP's petition brings results
Sydney tollways
ruckus: fairer charges
introduced for travellers towing caravans
By Dennis Amor
Have your say
MORE than a thousand supporters signed
a petition organised by NSW's Wallsend MP Sonia Hornery calling for a
fairer deal for caravanners using Sydney's tollways.
Outraged caravanners came out with all guns blazing
after toll operator Transurban consolidated its classification settings
across all its roads in August.
New charges meant grey nomads whose rigs exceeded 12.5m in length or whose
rooftop airconditioners tipped them over 2.8m in height were slugged with
higher Class B tolls normally meant for trucks.
Ms Hornery has moved a Notice of Motion calling on the Roads Minister to
overturn the changes which resulted in toll charges tripling for cars
towing a caravan, boat or trailer.
She wrote to the Minister for Roads and launched a petition calling on the
minister to change the classification structure to allow holidaymakers and
residents travelling around Sydney to be put back into the Class A
classification.
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Since this story
was written, Minister for Transport and Roads Andrew Constance has
announced that NSW drivers who tow caravans and boats on Sydney's toll
roads will now be eligible for a dedicated rebate. But there is
criticism because travellers will still initially
be slugged with the higher toll ...
but can apply for the rebate to bring the cost in line with regular
cars. The rebate is capped at eight toll trips a
month. |
"In a response to my office earlier this year, the Parliamentary Secretary
to the Minister for Roads expressed her disappointment that several
motorway operators have adjusted their roadside vehicle classification
equipment to charge caravan owners a higher rate, but ruled out making any
changes to the classification structure," she said.
"Last month the Roads Minister criticised Transurban for going ahead with
increases of its tolls, describing it as a 'terrible' look and telling
them that 'they need to just factor in the incredible pain and suffering
and pressure that everybody is under at this period in time and reconsider
their decision."
Ms Hornery said that given the crises that the NSW economy had suffered in
the last six months - bushfires, drought and COVID-19 - a "simple stroke
of the minister's pen could resolve this issue".
Thousands of holidaymakers would get back on the roads heading south to
visit local rural and regional communities who were "doing it tough".
"It is impossible to believe that a car towing a caravan is considered to
be the equivalent of a fully laden semi-trailer," she said.
"Transurban even knew how much their new classification structure stunk as
they continued to waive the toll increases for customers from August
through to April this year.
“The Minister needs to end this farce, introduce new regulations for the
classification of vehicles and get our holidaymakers back on the road to
support local economies."
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Dennis Amor
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