Westbound traffic on Stoney Creek Road has jumped by 25 per cent since July 2020 when compared to average traffic volumes in July 2019,as motorists appear to be circumventing the toll.
A new distance-based toll was introduced on the motorway in July last year when the$4.3 billion second stage of WestConnex,the M8,was opened to motorists,linking Kingsgrove to a new interchange at St Peters.
Depending on where vehicles enter the motorway,the toll is between $3.16 and $7.23 for cars,while trucks pay between $9.48 and $21.70.
NSW Opposition transport spokesman Chris Minns,whose office obtained the data under a government information public access application,said the increase on local roads was evidence the tolls were too high.
“These tunnels cost billions and are designed to get cars and trucks off the road. The exact opposite thing is happening here,” he said.
“To make matters worse the government can’t do much about it because they made the insane decision to privatise a majority stake in the toll road company.”