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Business Rejects Slug On Motorists


Business Rejects Slug On Motorists

Author: NRMA Media Date: 28 November 2008

Sydney businesses have strongly rejected plans by the NSW Government to introduce time-of-day tolling and increase parking levies across the city, according to latest research by NRMA's Businesswise.

A survey of 570 NRMA BusinessWise Members located across Sydney has found only 15 per cent support plans by the State Government to introduce time-of-day tolling on the Harbour Bridge and Tunnel and nine per cent support an increase in parking levies.

NRMA BusinessWise provides roadside assistance and member benefits including fuel advice and discounts to more than 18,000 businesses in NSW and the ACT. The NRMA research of BusinessWise Members found:

  • Only three per cent believe time-of-day tolling would make driving simpler
  • 61 per cent believe it would increase transport costs; and of those 35 per cent would eventually pass those costs on to the public
  • Only 13 per cent can adjust trip times to avoid the increased toll

NRMA President Alan Evans said it appeared the business community was ignored when the NSW Government devised it's time-of-day tolling policy.

"The majority of BusinessWise Members surveyed said they could not delay trips to suit the Government's new tolling strategy and many will now be forced to cop the toll increase in the hip pocket," Mr Evans said.

"This proposal will do nothing to improve traffic congestion - all it will do is increase transport costs on thousands of small businesses at a time when they can ill afford it."

The NRMA Businesswise research found 77 per cent believed higher parking levies will increase their parking costs and almost 40 per cent of those will be forced to pass on the costs to consumers.

"It has been said that the NSW Government's increased parking levies will make Sydney the most expensive city in the world for parking," Mr Evans said.

"It is beyond belief that we would burden our business community and every day motorists with this additional cost at a time when we should be encouraging growth."

"NRMA BusinessWise is the main voice for fleet-running businesses in NSW. We will be fighting hard to see a reversal of these anti-business policies."

The NRMA BusinessWise survey found that 44 per cent use the Harbour Crossings seven-days-a-week.

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