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Businesses slap bans on Brisbane toll roads
By Ursula Heger and Sarah Vogler / The Courier-Mail / July 02, 2010
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SMALL businesses are ordering staff to boycott toll roads and drive the long way around to avoid paying higher tolls after light commercials were this week slugged almost $6 to drive one way across the Gateway.
Their boycott comes as other motorists embraced the lower tolls on the Clem7 tunnel.
The Clem7 recorded a 12.8 per cent spike in the number of vehicles using the tunnel yesterday after the introduction of a lower $2 toll but figures show that Clem7 operators RiverCity Motorways made less from revenue than if tolls had remained at $2.95 with lower traffic.
If tolls had remained at $2.95, they would have made at least $74,316 instead of about $56,830.
The toll for private cars on the Gateway Motorway jumped by almost $1 on Thursday – increasing from $2.95 to $3.85 while a new classification for light commercial vehicles means some drivers are now paying $5.78 one way.
Light commercial vehicles, including utes, were previously classed as cars – paying only $2.95 to use the bridge.
West End plumber John Salmon described the State Government's decision to charge light commercial vehicles a higher toll as ludicrous.
"Why does the plumber in his ute get charged more than the barrister in his Rolls-Royce?" Mr Salmon asked.
"Give me a break."
Mr Salmon said his business faced a potential toll bill of about $17,000 a year for the 17 vehicles he has on the road.
"I ban my guys from using the toll roads. They have to take the long way," he said.
He said tolls were a factor in his decision to move his business away from the inner-city Brisbane suburb as he wanted to avoid the new Go Between Bridge which, when it opens on Monday, will also carry a toll.
Truck courier Steve McKenna said the changes to the classification system meant his five-tonne truck had been reclassified as a heavy commercial vehicle – with his tolls jumping from $2.90 to $10.20 one way on the Gateway Bridge.
"I can only carry five tonnes in my truck but I have been classified the same as a semi-trailer which can carry up to 50 tonnes," he said.
"I crossed the Gateway Bridge four times (yesterday) so I have already spent $40 in tolls – I live on the north side of Brisbane and if I travel to the southside of a morning I have to wear that cost personally."
He said he would not turn to the Clem7 tunnel, because it also classified his truck as a heavy vehicle – preferring to take a longer route through Brisbane's CBD.
Queensland Motorways chief financial officer Jeremy Turner said there had been no signs of any driver backlash on the first day of increased tolls .
Mr Turner said morning peak traffic numbers on the Gateway were consistent with the same period on Wednesday, when tolls were lower.