Harbour bridge tolls to go both ways from 2028   :(

Dec 11, 2025
New Daily



Drivers will be tolled in both directions on the Sydney Harbour Bridge from late 2028, the NSW government says.

Under the decision announced on Thursday, which defies the state Labor government’s pre-election promise of “no new tolls”, drivers will be hit with a toll to use the bridge and the harbour tunnel.


The Minns government said more road charges were needed to fund critical relief for Sydney’s road commuters.

A $60 weekly toll “cap” introduced in 2024, designed to minimise the burden on western Sydney drivers, had been set to end within weeks. Under the latest changes, it will become permanent.

“This is part of reorienting the entire system to put motorists first,” NSW Transport Minister John Graham said.

“We are committing the extra revenue to ongoing toll relief, which is most needed in western Sydney.”

There has been one-way tolling on the Harbour Bridge since 1970.


But the status quo was threatened when the former Liberal government announced the under-construction Western Harbour Tunnel would be tolled in both directions.   

In the latest overhaul to the system plaguing what has been described as the world’s most-tolled city, administration fees for paying toll notices will also be scrapped.

Amid marathon negotiations to curtail their power, private toll operators have agreed to dump the fees, which brought in $618 million in the past financial year alone.


The chief executive of toll operator Transurban, Michelle Jablko, said the process to simplify charges to motorists was constructive and positive.

“This outcome is a step towards delivery of a fairer and simpler system … while continuing to protect the value of the investment Transurban and its partners have made,” she said.

While locking in the toll relief indefinitely may bump up the volume of drivers using the toll roads, Transurban has also agreed to hand over any extra revenue coming from higher traffic from mid-2026.

In January, the government revealed that drivers had left more than $140 million in possible relief unclaimed in the first year of the “toll cap”.

Leaders in Sydney’s outer suburbs have welcomed the decision to make the “cap” – actually a quarterly rebate scheme – permanent.

“This is a win for western Sydney commuters, who often have to spend more time on the road and travel longer distances,” Western Sydney Dialogue chief executive Adam Leto said.

And yet we pay a massive fuel excise to cover the cost of roads -  WTF?

Where do all those $billions go?

Bobby. wrote on Dec 12^th, 2025 at 7:41am:

And yet we pay a massive fuel excise to cover the cost of roads -  WTF? Where do all those $billions go?

The bridge has been fully paid for since 1988 - For 37 years we have been paying for nothing.

WA: no toll roads, no pokies in pubs, no daylight savings  [smiley=thumbsup.gif]

I love toll roads.
I value my time at about 300 an hour.
A saving of 30 minutes is worth 150 bucks.
A 5 dollar toll is the saving of the century

Dnarever wrote on Dec 12^th, 2025 at 9:00am:

Bobby. wrote on Dec 12th, 2025 at 7:41am: And yet we pay a massive fuel excise to cover the cost of roads -  WTF? Where do all those $billions go? The bridge has been fully paid for since 1988 - For 37 years we have been paying for nothing.

It's a rip off.

aquascoot wrote on Dec 12^th, 2025 at 11:20am:

I love toll roads. I value my time at about 300 an hour. A saving of 30 minutes is worth 150 bucks. A 5 dollar toll is the saving of the century

The minumum wage in Oz is 25 an hour.

Are people losers if they earn the minimum wage?

Bobby. wrote on Dec 12^th, 2025 at 7:41am:

And yet we pay a massive fuel excise to cover the cost of roads -  WTF? Where do all those $billions go?

Fixing pot-holes etc...

Like to pay higher taxes to eliminate toll roads?   

whiteknight wrote on Dec 12^th, 2025 at 6:03am:

The Minns government said more road charges were needed to fund critical relief for Sydney’s road commuters.

ie,  increased government charges are needed to lower charges for tax-paying motorists.....such is the idiocy from 'fiscally responsible' (sic) governments.

The mainstream Neoclassical 'fiscal responsibility' narrative is itself the problem. 


Quote:

The chief executive of toll operator Transurban, Michelle Jablko, said the process to simplify charges to motorists was constructive and positive. “This outcome is a step towards delivery of a fairer and simpler system … while continuing to protect the value of the investment Transurban and its partners have made,” she said.

Yeh - defending Transurban's profits is necessary; but the private sector shouldn't even own the nation's roads.

......with taxpayers on the hook......

Solution:

https://publicmoneypublicgood.net/

ie, public money, not taxpayer money.

This is from 10 years ago:

"Transport Minister Dean Nalder has moved to quell concerns over toll roads being created across WA, saying it would be "political suicide" for any government to attempt to do it."

He's right - any politician just mentioning the term "toll road" in Perth would lose their seat at the next election.

No tolls, no pokies, and no DLS - that's the way we like it   :)

aquascoot wrote on Dec 12^th, 2025 at 11:20am:

I love toll roads. I value my time at about 300 an hour. A saving of 30 minutes is worth 150 bucks. A 5 dollar toll is the saving of the century

You would.

How many taxes are you prepared to pay?

You pay towards roads with registration & fuel excise.

You pay towards roads with income taxes.

You pay sales tax, land tax, rates, fire levy, Stamp duty, Medicare levy, GST.

Why on earth do you think private enterprise should be running our suburban freeways & bridges as a shareholders milking cow?

thegreatdivide wrote on Dec 12^th, 2025 at 12:29pm:

Bobby. wrote on Dec 12th, 2025 at 7:41am: And yet we pay a massive fuel excise to cover the cost of roads -  WTF? Where do all those $billions go? Fixing pot-holes etc... Like to pay higher taxes to eliminate toll roads?

We already pay more than enough taxes & levies & at high rates thank you.

Our road building companies should be held more to account for the shytty roads they build - lasting only months before patching has to start. Poor quality control.

Gnads wrote on Dec 12^th, 2025 at 12:59pm:

thegreatdivide wrote on Dec 12th, 2025 at 12:29pm: Bobby. wrote on Dec 12th, 2025 at 7:41am: And yet we pay a massive fuel excise to cover the cost of roads -  WTF? Where do all those $billions go? Fixing pot-holes etc... Like to pay higher taxes to eliminate toll roads?    We already pay more than enough taxes & levies & at high rates thank you.

The state premiers disagree, or rather, they want the feds to pay more...


Quote:

Our road building companies should be held more to account for the shytty roads they build - lasting only months before patching has to start. Poor quality control.

Allowing the private sector to manage vital public services is always a disaster, but public services have to be funded....

Now governments (state and federal) can't even fund public hospitals, despite your assertion we already pay enough tax.

thegreatdivide wrote on Dec 12^th, 2025 at 12:29pm:

Bobby. wrote on Dec 12th, 2025 at 7:41am: And yet we pay a massive fuel excise to cover the cost of roads -  WTF? Where do all those $billions go? Fixing pot-holes etc... Like to pay higher taxes to eliminate toll roads?

nahh - I think you have been duped.

My guess is that the fuel excise goes into consolidated revenue and
most of it is not spent on the roads.

Bobby. wrote on Dec 12^th, 2025 at 2:40pm:

thegreatdivide wrote on Dec 12th, 2025 at 12:29pm: Bobby. wrote on Dec 12th, 2025 at 7:41am: And yet we pay a massive fuel excise to cover the cost of roads -  WTF? Where do all those $billions go? Fixing pot-holes etc... Like to pay higher taxes to eliminate toll roads?    nahh - I think you have been duped. My guess is that the fuel excise goes into consolidated revenue and most of it is not spent on the roads.

And yet today Albo is telling the state premiers to fund their own public  hospitals because the feds are broke...

The people stuck in ambulances for hours have been duped....

The miserable pittances gained from selling off everything goes into funding Taj Mahal style 'commissions' and other nice jobs for a few old mates, while extending the control of the State over the individual by exercising arbitrary 'rights' of these Star Chambers to impose on any individual at any time without notice.

It also creates inflation..... think it through...

It is no different from Sharia Law in a funk-hole like Iran - there is no requirement for justice, facts are distorted by the ideology and not by reality (think on that), and there is ZERO remorse for the person afflicted without notice by some whinge from some Far Ken loser steeped in the modern way of being perpetually aggrieved by living here.

It is - in reality - a Reign of Terror, and it started with 'feminism' and the way anyone could suddenly, for doing something perfectly normal, be embroiled in some 'complaint' over someone's 'aggrieved feelings' or something ... and that was even before it was weaponised and brought into the fold of 'legislation' to support, sustain and extend it!!!!  And every other piss-hole in the snow ideology followed suit once the ladies showed to way to gain power and control.... but that's where the money goes - not into more cops on the beat, more hospitals, more ambulances .. all into some sweet little earner for yet another loser with a head filled with the madness that poses as modern education.

The Homeland and Gon'Mo are sounding better by the day... and a hell of a lot cheaper... just saying..

Anyone remember the infamous "3 by 3" way back in the Greiner days in NSW (before he sold the roads to himself that is) ..... three cents a litre for three years will fix every road!!!!!!!!!!!

And yet you dick-weeds will believe every word your 'governments' hand out to you as if it's gospel...

Read it and weep - it never produced a result and it never went away:-

The levy was a 3 cents per litre increase in the state's petrol tax, originally intended to be in place for a fixed term of three years to fund road improvements in New South Wales (NSW). Although it was meant to expire in August 1992, the tax was later extended and remained in effect until July 1, 2000, when it was absorbed into the federal government's Goods and Services Tax (GST) system

aquascoot wrote on Dec 12^th, 2025 at 11:20am:

I love toll roads. I value my time at about 300 an hour A saving of 30 minutes is worth 150 bucks. A 5 dollar toll is the saving of the century

It would be an even bigger saving if you didn't have to pay the tolls to start with.

Why don't you move over to WA? No toll roads here.  8-)

Carl D wrote on Dec 12^th, 2025 at 5:59pm:

aquascoot wrote on Dec 12th, 2025 at 11:20am: I love toll roads. I value my time at about 300 an hour A saving of 30 minutes is worth 150 bucks. A 5 dollar toll is the saving of the century It would be an even bigger saving if you didn't have to pay the tolls to start with. Why don't you move over to WA? No toll roads here.  8-)

No pokies and no DLS too   :)

thegreatdivide wrote on Dec 12^th, 2025 at 12:25pm:

aquascoot wrote on Dec 12th, 2025 at 11:20am: I love toll roads. I value my time at about 300 an hour. A saving of 30 minutes is worth 150 bucks. A 5 dollar toll is the saving of the century The minumum wage in Oz is 25 an hour. Are people losers if they earn the minimum wage?

Scoot wants people to pay 6 hrs wages for 30 minute gain.