Some inefficiences need fixing, but research shows tollways have been a big boon for Australia’s largest city ... and it’s motorists. By Kris Ashton

Three separate studies, including one by NRMA, show Sydney’s orbital tollway network saves time, reduces carbon emissions, helps the NSW economy and makes outlying suburbs more attractive to both residents and businesses.

Earlier this year, toll road operator Transurban commissioned Ernst & Young to conduct an independent report on the economic benefits of Sydney’s toll roads. It found that by increasing connectivity between suburbs, the motorway network added $1.9 billion to NSW’s gross state product (GSP) in 2008. This makes it as valuable to industry as the Port Botany container terminal. The report also highlighted savings in time, operating costs, vehicle emissions and road accidents, leading to high population growth and rapid industrial development in western Sydney.

An independent study commissioned by Westlink M7 compared peak-hour trips along the M7 motorway with toll-free alternative routes. The study, which used four Mitsubishi 380s travelling at 7am and 5pm, found significant savings in overall travel time and fuel consumption.

For instance, a morning trip on the M7 between the M4 and M5 took 13 min 43 sec compared to 26 min 08 sec along the alternative route of Camden Valley Way, Cowpasture Road, Elizabeth Drive and Wallgrove Rd. As well as shaving almost 16 minutes off the trip, M7 usage also dropped fuel consumption from 2.7L to 1.7L.

Last year, NRMA released the results of a travel time survey on motorways and their alternative routes. The survey showed drivers who used the motorway consumed up to 40 per cent less fuel and could save close to an hour on certain journeys.

According to Mark Wolstenholme, NRMA’s senior adviser for traffic and roads, NRMA recognises that private finance can enable infrastructure to be brought online sooner, but he says that to manage traffic more efficiently, the RTA needs to operate the orbital as a network instead of a number of individual links. He points to an incident where motorists using the M2 were not informed of the long delays caused by a crash on the Harbour Bridge and simply added to the queue of traffic. “Providing these motorists with real-time traffic information and travel time data would give them the opportunity to delay their trip, divert to other routes or change their mode of transport,” he says.

Wolstenholme also believes NSW’s current tolling system needs changes. In particular, he said casual usage must be simpler and less expensive.

“NRMA has consistently called for a single casual user pass that works on all toll roads in Sydney, so those without tags don’t need to worry about which toll road they have been on and don’t have to fork out for multiple passes. The RTA tag that can now be rented from motor registries may help our country Members but it is unlikely that a person heading over the Harbour Bridge to the northern beaches at the weekend will want to go through the hassle of visiting an RTA motor registry,” he said.

RTA director of licensing, freight and registration, David Stuart-Watt, told Open Road a simplified system was in the pipeline: “The RTA is working with all the motorways on developing a new casual user pass that can be used across the entire Sydney road network.”

NRMA also feels electronic tags should be free – emulating Queensland Motorway’s E toll tag, which is supplied deposit free, or Eastlink’s ‘Breeze’ tag  in Victoria, where currently the deposit paid for the tag is returned to the user as toll credit. But Wolstenholme cautioned private motorists who use the M4 and M5 not to rush out and get one of these tags, as they are not included in the RTA’s Cashback scheme. NRMA believes if they were included in the scheme, it would encourage competition and keep prices low for motorists.

Open Road November/December 2008