Pressure grows to make motorists pay for roads

[ltd_on20s]

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/pressu...-1226383986648

"The Commonwealth gets the fuel excise and the RAA estimates motorists were paying 38c per litre excise and 7c goes back into roads"


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ADELAIDENOW readers are unhappy at the prospect of introducing toll-roads to pay for future road projects - as proposed by the state's top transport bureaucrat.


Transport Department CEO Rod Hook in The Advertiser today called for a debate on the topic because of pressure from the Federal Government to find private sector funding for future road projects.
However, only around one in every three adelaidenow readers who voted and commented this morning supported the idea.

Reader Brenda George said motorists had already paid for road works through car registration.

"They should better manage their money so roads can be paid for and not wasted on stupid projects that can wait to be done,'' she said.

But another reader, Richard Jenkinson, was one of the readers who supported the idea. "Apply toll roads and you'll probably get a two-way road from Elizabeth to Victor with no lights. Didn't every other state do this 20 years ago?'' he said.

Mr Hook said the issue would come to a head when South Australia went to the next round of funding submissions in 2014/15 because the Federal Government had told the state it must have alternative funding.

On ABC radio he said an application for Federal Government funding for two connection roads to take traffic off South Rd were likely to include a toll proposal.

"It (a toll) may be for instance on future stages of South Rd, and I am talking a northern connector linking between where the northern expressway hits Port Wakefield Rd, we would like to duplicate that road at some stage in the future,'' he said.

"It may be we have to grapple with tolling on that road, or maybe the section of South Rd from Regency Rd to Anzac Hwy.''

Mr Hook said SA did not have enough traffic to justify an entire road constructed by the private sector and funded with a toll.

He said motorists should always have an option and toll roads interstate had proven unpopular because traffic had been forced on to the new road without an option of staying on the old road.

When asked on ABC Radio about the Opposition's toll roads policy, transport spokeswoman Vickie Chapman ruled out a future Liberal Party government introducing tolls on cars.

But when asked about Mr Hook's suggestion of a freight toll on a northern interconnector with South Rd, she said: "If that is the case (that it may not be funded by the Federal Government) it is a freight option and that is matter we will have a look at''.

Mr Hook said it was harder to lobby the Federal Government for increased funding from fuel excise for road projects when SA refused to consider toll roads.

"In SA, the motorists pay for their registration and for their licences and the money from that goes into the highways fund and it cannot be used for other purposes.

"The Commonwealth gets the fuel excise and the RAA estimates motorists were paying 38c per litre excise and 7c goes back into roads. States were critical of revenue raised by the Commonwealth through fuel excises going into general revenue and not being directed into roads or broader transport issues."

Mr Hook said last week's Budget, which included mothballing some major projects, showed the deteriorating budget conditions would affect infrastructure.

"All state CEOs (at the roads conference) made the point about the reduced revenue flows for their respective governments and the associated difficult financial position we are all in.

"There are only two ways to funding infrastructure, one for the user to pay through tolls and the other for taxpayers to pay."

[prydey]

i think tolls can work, but i don't think SA has the population to justify it or make it work.

fuel excise, registration costs etc... where is this money you stupid govt!!

[flappist]

Great idea, but lets make sure that pedestrians pay for footpaths and cyclists pay for bike tracks and most importantly public servants pay for all their buildings, lifts, free coffee, aircon, stationery, computers etc.

[Keepleft]

You get the feeling that in relation to the Paciifc Highway, the state may be compelled to toll it in order to complete the dual carriageway.

Coalition don't wish to do so, BUT having regard to federal Labor re-jigging the funding balance, I reckon NSW won't have much choice?!!

We'll see.

[Jim Goose]

What a load of rubbish... seriously we are becoming a nation of double dipping and barely a murmour from the public.

Money for roads come from grants, taxes already... why do we need to pay it twice???

[2011G6E]

Tolls? Shouldn't exist when we pay excise (let's call it what it is...a tax) through fuel and registration costs. I'll drive miles out of my way to avoid a toll road...to hell with them.

[prydey]

Originally Posted by Jim Goose

What a load of rubbish... seriously we are becoming a nation of double dipping and barely a murmour from the public.

Money for roads come from grants, taxes already... why do we need to pay it twice???

not entirely. the clem7 in bris is losing money hand over fist due to motorists avoiding it. they got some extra revenue with their sneaky camera's and changing speed limits though. at least many got reimbursed.

[Falconxf88]

Didnt read. But im 100% sure I pay over 2G's a year in rego, easily 5G's in fuel and maybe 1-2g's in random crap like fines. What a ****ing joke, Nobody anywhere should be paying any more for using the road.

[bullfrog]

Regardless of how the funds for a project are raised, most road improvement is based around our major cities, where the voting public resides. When you live in the country you get used to being forgotten. Albury has finally gotten it's long awaited bypass, a political football for 30 years. The duplication (dual carriageway) of the Hume Highway between Albury and Sydney is now only 1 to 2 years away from completion, the last segment being the Holbrook bypass. Most governments don't give a rats **** about regional areas, just about votes to get them into their next term.

[ltd_on20s]

Originally Posted by bullfrog

Most governments don't give a rats **** about regional areas, just about votes to get them into their next term.

make that all governments,

lib/labor/greens

all the same.

[supershifty]

Dunno what toll roads you have in SA, but if they're anything like we have in QLD they're just a tax that keeps going up & up. I maybe totally wrong, but I thought we paid rego fees to support road infrastructure - maybe "support" is the operative word here! Where do our fuel taxes go? or even the other "administrative" charges that we all pay for the luxury of putting a car on the road!

[Nikked]

I'll pay for the roads when i dont need to dodge pot-holes.

[HULK EF]

guess if we have to pay another tax t have propper roads built, then taxes within our fuel and rego can be relaxed then!!!

otherwise we may aswell pay double for eerything!!! greedy governments!!!

[vanman_75]

lol just out of moranbah they have hired stop go people for the potholes , I s..t you not , im with nikked i will pay more tax to fix roads when they actually fix them , govcos a joke

[graham7773]

Keep left, If they (govco) toll any part of the Pacific, look out for the traffic flow doubling on the New England Highway

[Rockape]

I will never use a toll road.

[JC]

Originally Posted by flappist

Great idea, but lets make sure that pedestrians pay for footpaths and cyclists pay for bike tracks and most importantly public servants pay for all their buildings, lifts, free coffee, aircon, stationery, computers etc.

Public Servants get free coffee? Which Public Service is that? Sounds like something that ought to be taxed (FBT anyone?)

Back on topic - the pressure should be for the government to cough up all the roads based money to be spent on roads, not 20% of it or less.......

[IDT]

Prepare for sarcasm:
The old blacktop is only the most important piece of infrastructure we have, not because its the means of keeping the country running but because its one of if not the biggest revenue earners for governments, from fines to vehicle registrations to tolls. That's not to mention fuel and oil excise to roadside parking. Come on fellas, get on board rather then complain, why not lets all figure out some other ways the governments can charge us to use what we already pay for. How about a gutter and drain surcharge by local councils as part of our rates. maybe even a driveway tax. We could get our government into surplus at every level if we all chip in. End Sarcasm

[Reaper8]

if all gov took a 10% paycut we would have new roads & free rego LOL. I think the companys that do the roadworks need to have a bit more pride in their work a lot of the time the repair job or new strip is worse than what they fixed

[aussie muscle]

Originally Posted by graham7773

Keep left, If they (govco) toll any part of the Pacific, look out for the traffic flow doubling on the New England Highway

wow, double benefit!!

Originally Posted by Reaper8

I think the companys that do the roadworks need to have a bit more pride in their work a lot of the time the repair job or new strip is worse than what they fixed

yeah, but they are built by the lowest tender, not the best tender. The goons that do roads in my area think gravel is an acceptable bitumen road repair material.

[sgt_doofey]

Originally Posted by supershifty

Dunno what toll roads you have in SA

None, and hopefully it stays that way.

[Franco Cozzo]

We've got Toll roads here in Victoria, Citylink and Eastlink.

Citylink is quite good though, don't mind paying for that, beats driving through Melbourne to get to the other side.

[greenfoam]

Trucks do 95% of the damage to our roads, do you think they are paying for 95% of them? no way.

On the other hand if we had decent hotmix roads throughout Australia all our fuel consumption would drop between 5 and 10% and it would offset any tax easily

[Ducati888]

Do you have a reference for that statistic greenfoam? Do you know how much it costs to register, insure and fuel an 18 wheeler that operates 18 hours per day?

Virtually everyone is a road user and virtually everyone pays tax. Therefore everyone already pays for roads.

As for government workers taking a 10% pay cut. Man I hope that was meant in jest. Teachers, nurses, fire department, police, hospital staff, etc, are all paid for by government. Should they all take a 10% cut to make your trip to work cheaper?

[prydey]

Originally Posted by greenfoam

Trucks do 95% of the damage to our roads, do you think they are paying for 95% of them? no way.

got any proof? or just another 'anti truck' brigade member!

[Yellow_Festiva]

Originally Posted by Rockape

I will never use a toll road.

Never say never!

In Sydney, often the toll road is by far the best / fastest option....

It also depends on how you value your time. If you are on the go / in a rush all the time $5-7 for save you sitting behind the wheel an extra 30-60 min is well worth it...

Then again... the toll roads are sometimes the most blocked / congested.. and you are left with a sour taste in your mouth that you have just paid for the privilage of sitting in bumper to bumper traffic for 45 minutes when the rat run would have been faster... and free!

[flappist]

Originally Posted by greenfoam

Trucks do 95% of the damage to our roads, do you think they are paying for 95% of them? no way.

On the other hand if we had decent hotmix roads throughout Australia all our fuel consumption would drop between 5 and 10% and it would offset any tax easily

That figure is a bit high but heavy vehicles do damage the typre of roads we have here more than light ones.

In the 1970s there was an experimental bit of freeway made near Nambour using concrete instead of the usual dirt and tar.
I remember there was a big song and dance about it costing twice as much so no more was made.

Now almost 40 years later the road is still there, it has had no upgrades and works perfectly where as the road to the south and north has had several "birthday presents".

Of course the current public servant and politican mentality is to do things that will last until they retire rather than longer.

Imagine if these idiots were in charge 80 yeras ago? No Sydney Harbour Bridge or Snowy Mountain Scheme etc.

[ebxr8240]

Yep no Commonwealth bank, No GIO, No Telstra...etc etc..
Hmm ?? They are all sold..

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by flappist

That figure is a bit high but heavy vehicles do damage the typre of roads we have here more than light ones.

In the 1970s there was an experimental bit of freeway made near Nambour using concrete instead of the usual dirt and tar.
I remember there was a big song and dance about it costing twice as much so no more was made.

Now almost 40 years later the road is still there, it has had no upgrades and works perfectly where as the road to the south and north has had several "birthday presents".

Of course the current public servant and politican mentality is to do things that will last until they retire rather than longer.

Imagine if these idiots were in charge 80 yeras ago? No Sydney Harbour Bridge or Snowy Mountain Scheme etc.

Interesting you mention that, near work on Keilor Park Drive in Tullamarine i think it is, there is a VicRoads testing ground section of the road, where they have done parts of the road in different materials, and concrete is one of them.

[Keepleft]

Originally Posted by Yellow_Festiva

In Sydney, often the toll road is by far the best / fastest option....

Talking of roads, notice the fast progress on the reworking Wyong Rd and F3 interchange? It will improve flows a lot the new design.
http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/roadprojec...nge/index.html