An Untimely Price Increase

Both the state and the Federal government are shelling out to provide  money assistance to the people forced out of work by the Coronavirus crisis and billions more are being spent to ensure that the employers forced to close their doors will reopen when it is finally over.  This Pandemic threatens to deliver a swathe of death around the world and there is the expectation that the hardship imposed on both commercial interests and individuals will be accepted with good grace in the interest of saving lives.

It is with astonishment that most people learn that the company imposing tolls on Sydney's urban roads is implementing a toll increase which came into effect yesterday.  Transurban, which owns all four toll roads is refusing to budge on its pricing for the Cross City tunnel, Eastern Distributor, M2 and Lance Cove tunnel.

Tolls for cars using the M2 rose by fifty percent in the six years to 2019 to $7.62 for those driving the full length. That increased to $7.83 yesterday.  The Eastern Distributor has increased from $7.61 for cars and  $15.22 for trucks to $7.92 and $ 15.84 respectively.  The Harbour bridge and the Harbour tunnel have not increased  since 2009.

The toll operator is entitled to these price increases as part of its contractual arrangement with the state government, but in nonconformity with the many others who have held back price increases to aid this world crisis the new rates were applied regardless of the hardship they will cause.  The toll operator claims that work is still progressing during the lockdown on the North Connex and the West Connex and this seems to disobey the lockdown order.

With so many people out of work the traffic stream each day is much lighter, and so is the revenue from the toll, but the operator seems intent on gouging out every last cent it can legally apply.  The only concession to the Coronavirus seems to be cessation of debt recovery during the crisis.  People behind in their toll repayments may get support through Linkt Assist.

The implementation of many laws have been relaxed to give relief during this time when many people are facing personal hardship.  It is quite possible that this hard hearted attitude applied to a price increase may eventually come back to haunt this company.  The business world is a complex jungle and sometimes companies need a favour from the government, and governments have a long memory.