Auditor General Shows Folly Of Toll Removal

Auditor General Shows Folly of Toll Removal

The Auditor General's report into the impacts of the removal of the toll from Sydney's M4 Motorway shows that the critical East West road corridor will become unworkable if the toll is removed says Infrastructure Partnerships Australia the nation's peak infrastructure body.

"The removal of the M4 toll will make the motorway a parking lot during peak hour, further isolating Sydney's growing West from the CBD" said IPA Executive Director, Brendan Lyon.

"Any short-term saving to motorists will be outweighed by increased vehicle and time costs - and significant increases in carbon pollution.

"It would be much more sensible to continue the toll, using the money to fund the massive new investment that is required to fix ailing public transport and complete Sydney's road network.

"The money collected could also be invested in finally building the congestion-busting M4 East motorway extension, the most urgent road project in the State.

"Congestion costs NSW more than $12 million every day in lost productivity, meaning we must also look at how we can get more people onto public transport and off our roads.

"That means that we need to continue to price the use of roads and also increase the comfort and reliability of public transport in Sydney.

"Sydney's infrastructure challenges are very significant and they require urgent action. Otherwise, the city faces a bleak future of spiralling congestion and rapidly declining liveability.

"Today's report shows that traffic will surge by 25 per cent if the toll is removed. The impact on travel times will be substantial.

"While the Government had committed to remove the toll, this study from the Auditor General shows that the long-term impact on travel times and the environment are untenable.

"The NSW Government must respond to this new information and reconsider its decision to remove the M4 toll."

< ENDS >

Media contact: Ruci Fixter 0438 380 464

SOURCE: IPA