WSROC Offering Our Community To Complete Short Survey On M4 Toll

An invitation has  been provided to our open community, in relation to the charging of tolls on  the M4. Western Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils is running a short survey, seeking community feedback on the widened M4 toll.

Thousands of motorists from Western Sydney, inclusive of Mount Druitt and surrounding suburbs would be using the M4 toll and having increased costs for their private expenses or in running businesses.

When I saw the tolls going free many, many years ago, I first thought, 'Great, no more tolls'. We have a current State Government working on new connecting roads and trains infrastructure, yet instead of  taking funds from current income nests,  it is 'pay as you go extra'.

This will be a good time to share your thoughts, so that WSROC, can present a strong case to our NSW Government  from themselves and through local NSW State Representatives, within WSROC that  we do not deserve to be charged more Tolls.

Click here to complete the WSROC M4 Toll Survey and read WSROC's Media Release

WSROC, is presented by 8 local Government's within Western Sydney: Blacktown, Blue Mountains, Cumberland, Fairfield, ,Hawkesbury, Liverpool, Parramatta and Penrith and is currently lead by President Councillor Stephen Bali, a true advocate of Free Tolls on the M4 Motorway

Click here on details from WSROC

Click here for previous Media Release from Blacktown City Council

Click here for ABC Story on the M4 Tolls

Blacktown City Council - Media Release - A Bad Week for Western Sydney -

MEDIA RELEASE

14 August, 2017

“Tolling has started on the M4, and Western Sydney is paying for what should still be free,” said the Mayor of Blacktown City, Councillor Stephen Bali.

“Toll company profits are getting a higher priority than public transport planning,” he said.

“The area of Sydney that can least afford it is paying a financial penalty because we have a bad public transport system.

“Western Sydney has made its opinion clearly known, yet the NSW Government simply rides roughshod over our concerns, preferring to provide profits to toll companies than provide its citizens with an effective public transport system.

“The part of Sydney that is most poorly served by public transport is being penalised for having to drive to work.

“The M4 will cost commuters an extra $2,016 a year, which is going to force many families to cut back on other areas of household expenditure in order to be able to get to and from work.

“And it’s not going to get cheaper: each year the toll will rise by 4% - dwarfing the CPI figure of 1.5% or the 1.9% average annual national wage increase. 

“Increases that exceed both the CPI and average wages growth will add financial hardship to families across western Sydney.

“Why isn’t tolling technology being used to provide capped tolls, performance based tolls and discounted tolls for people with no public transport alternative?

“This is blatantly unfair, unreasonable and unconscionable.  Instead of improving public transport, the NSW government is lining the pockets of toll companies.

“Toll operator Transurban, in the last financial year, generated $2.1 billion in toll revenues and a net profit of $209 million.

“That means every time you hear the beep go off in your car, that’s another 45 cents profit for Transurban.

“And by the way how much tax did they pay?  None.  They got a $35 million tax refund!

“Remember this every time you’re sitting in bumper to bumper traffic on a toll way.”