With quieter weekend traffic, however, motorists paying $4.09 to drive a car through the new toll road on Sunday were getting questionable value for money. A trip from Altona to the eastern suburbs was only two minutes faster using the tunnel compared to using the West Gate Bridge for free, according to Google Maps.
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A trip through the tunnel will set motorists back $4.09 for a car and $6.54 for a ute or van, and more than double that if they exit into the CBD’s west during the weekday morning peak.
Transurban is paying for $6.1 billion of the West Gate Tunnel’s construction costs in exchange for operating tolls on the new road and a 10-year extension to its CityLink contract.
Premier Jacinta Allan said she did not regret that Labor embarked on the project a decade ago, despite billions of dollars in cost overruns and a three-year delay.
“Yes, this was a really complex project, and it did face some challenges on its journey,” she said.
“[But] it’s worth it today because of what it means right now: an alternative to the West Gate Bridge, trucks off local roads, direct access to the Port of Melbourne, getting people home to their families sooner.
Rainbow lights inside the West Gate Tunnel on Sunday morning.Credit: Penny Stephens
“It’ll be also worth it in the decades ahead because as our city and state grows, this is exactly the sort of infrastructure we need to invest in today to support that growth into the future.”
Despite sparse traffic in the new tunnel, inner-west residents said there was a noticeable decrease in trucks on local roads thanks to the accompanying implementation of a truck ban on six roads in Yarraville, Footscray, Spotswood and Altona North.
“It was eerie not having a single truck on Francis Street this morning,” said Breanne Geyle, who has lived on the street for almost 40 years. “I’m elated.”
June Jones, another Francis Street resident, said the volume and size of trucks had increased significantly over the past decade, exposing residents to pollution and danger.
Trucks on Francis Street, Yarraville, in 2018.Credit: Paul Jeffers
“They’ve allowed road trains down residential streets where we’ve got kids crossing here to get to school,” she said. “Having the trucks off will help with the pollution and also just the safety of the kids and the residents of the area.”
Maribyrnong Truck Action Group Martin Wurt said he had received only one report of a truck violating the new truck ban on Sunday.
However, Wurt said he was concerned about the state government’s comments that freight companies would have a grace period of up to six months before being issued $610 fines for driving on the newly banned routes.
“Industry and the governor have had 10 years to prepare for today, so that is of concern for our community,” he said.
Wurt also said the community will continue its campaign to have pollution filters installed on the new tunnel’s ventilation stacks in Yarraville.
Nevertheless, he said the tunnel opening and truck ban would be “life-changing” for inner-west communities.
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“Imagine walking to school with your kids, or worrying about your teenagers riding bikes, or opening a window on a hot summer’s night and not having trucks any more. That’s going to be incredible,” Wurt said.
Roads Minister Melissa Horne said on Sunday that major trucking companies were ready to comply with the ban, but it would take time for some operators to adjust to the ban.
“Once we start seeing repeat offenders, that’s when the penalty regime will start being enforced,” she said.
Trucks will have to pay between $49.45 and $74.19 per day to use the West Gate Freeway and new tunnel, depending on their size, in addition to CityLink tolls.
Transurban group executive of operations David Clements said the toll giant expected to see more traffic during the Monday morning peak. “Then we’ll see how things evolve over time,” he said.
The tunnel is monitored from Transurban’s Footscray control centre, where crews monitor almost 900 camera feeds from across Melbourne, looking for breakdowns and bingles.
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