Fri. Nov 22nd, 2024
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The weekly toll bill for a Sydney motorist will be capped at $60, if New South Wales Labor is elected in March.

The opposition has long touted toll relief as one of its priorities to deal with the cost of living crisis.

Leader Chris Minns has described today’s policy as a “key election announcement”.

“Tolls are out of control at the moment,” he said.

“It effectively represents a secret tax for hundreds of thousands of people that live west of Parramatta.”

Labor says the cap would benefit 51,000 drivers per week and doesn’t apply to truck drivers.

The $60 weekly cap would be available in addition to what the current government already has on offer including the new rebate scheme, and M5 cashback.

If commuters meet the thresholds, they’ll be able to claim more than one scheme.

“No one will be worse off,” Mr Minns said.

a man standing outdoors talking to the media
Labor says the toll relief will help 51,000 drivers per week. (ABC News)

Last month, the Coalition’s new toll relief rebate came into effect.

Drivers are able to claim 40 per cent of their tolls under the scheme, once they spend $375 in one year.

The rebate is limited to a maximum of $750 and is estimated to reach half a million drivers.

Labor has proposed that its scheme would start next January and run for two years at a cost of $147 million.

The government’s scheme is expected to cost $520 million over two years.

“We’ve waited 18 months for Labor’s toll policy and it affects two per cent of drivers on motorways,” Premier Dominic Perrottet said.

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