Under Monday\u2019s deal, Transurban will cut some fares by 10% on the Lane Cove Tunnel and the M2 in July 2027 and the M7 in 2028. The cross-city tunnel toll will be cut by a one-off 20% in 2028 while the Eastern Distributor\u2019s northbound fare will be cut and a southbound fare added.<\/p>\n
Those highways accounted for less than half of the 1m trips recorded each day on average across Transurban\u2019s Sydney network, suggesting most tollway trips would not see a toll reduction.<\/p>\n
The WestConnex highway, which alone accounted for 359,000 trips a day by the end of 2025, and the NorthConnex will not get a reduction.<\/p>\n
The premier, Chris Minns<\/a>, told reporters on Monday the government had failed to negotiate a deal for the excluded highways at an appropriate cost with Transurban.<\/p>\n \u201cWe weren\u2019t able to get the rate of the dollars that we wanted in exchange for, I guess, what we had to give up,\u201d Minns said.<\/p>\n \u201cWe need toll relief now and it\u2019s better to have it at a lower base given the multiple increases that they have through the year.\u201d<\/p>\n Transurban\u2019s chief executive, Michelle Jablko, told investors on Monday the state would have had to spend significant amounts to fund a WestConnex toll reduction.<\/p>\n \u201cEven a small change in WestConnex could cost taxpayers quite a lot,\u201d Jablko said.<\/p>\n Transurban data indicates the average Sydney customer spends nearly $650 a year on tolls. It costs $12.74 for a car to travel the full length of WestConnex and the motorway\u2019s tolls increase by at least 4%<\/a> each year.<\/p>\n Allan Fels, a former chief of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, led the state\u2019s 2024 tolling review and called for the different roads\u2019 tolls to be standardised<\/a> so toll burdens would be balanced between Sydney\u2019s west and its wealthier north and east. Jabklo on Monday said sweeping reforms could worsen congestion.<\/p>\n Fels, who was not directly involved in the government\u2019s negotiations, said Monday\u2019s toll reductions represented a \u201cgood start\u201d.<\/p>\n But he said Transurban had blocked reform and put profits over public interest. The company declined to comment.<\/p>\n skip past newsletter promotion<\/a>Free newsletter | When needed<\/p>\n Sign up to Breaking News Australia<\/p>\n Get the most important news as it breaks<\/p>\n after newsletter promotion<\/p>\n Get in touch<\/p>\n Contact Guardian Australia<\/p>\n If you have something to share about this story, you can contact Guardian Australia\u2019s news teams using one of the following methods:<\/p>\n Secure Messaging in the Guardian app<\/p>\n The Guardian app has a tool to send tips about stories. Messages are end to end encrypted and concealed within the routine activity that every Guardian mobile app performs. This prevents an observer from knowing that you are communicating with us at all, let alone what is being said.<\/p>\n If you don\u2019t already have the Guardian app, download it (iOS<\/a>\/Android<\/a>) and go to the menu. Select \u2018Secure Messaging\u2019. <\/p>\n Email<\/p>\n If you don’t need strong security you can write to a Guardian Australia journalist using the details here<\/a>. Click on a person to see their details.\u00a0<\/p>\n For end to end encrypted email you can create a free Proton Mail<\/a> account and email\u00a0gaus.contact@protonmail.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n Messaging apps<\/p>\n You can use the encrypted messaging apps Signal or WhatsApp to message us at +61 490 758 250.<\/p>\n SecureDropIf you can safely use the tor network without being observed or monitored you can send messages and documents to the Guardian via our SecureDrop platform.<\/a><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/2998.jpg\")
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