Supporting toll reform in NSW

Paying a toll can provide you with a faster, safer, and more efficient route compared to alternative roads.

Key benefits for drivers can include:

• significant time savings
• a more predictable trip, particularly during peak times
• reduced fuel consumption from smoother traffic flow
• 24/7 road monitoring and support from our traffic management and incident response teams who can be on the scene within minutes to help keep motorists safe and traffic moving
• access to discounts and offers (including fuel discount offers) if you sign up to the Linkt Rewards program.

The Linkt app can help drivers choose the route that best suits their need.

There are several ways you can manage your toll expenses on Sydney roads.

• Linkt app: compare and plan your routes before you travel, where you can discover the cheapest or quickest way to get where you’re going. Plus, you can use the app’s fuel feature to find the cheapest fuel on your route.
• Access toll relief: if you’re a frequent driver in Sydney, you may be eligible for the NSW Government's weekly toll cap rebate or cashback for M5 South-West Motorway trips, designed to help reduce your cost of living. Check your eligibility and claim your toll relief rebate through Service NSW.
• Stay up to date: toll prices are set under long-term agreements with government and increase according to the arrangements outlined in those contracts, which are linked to the Consumer Price Index (CPI). The best way to manage these costs is to avoid surprises by checking current prices and calculating your exact trip costs ahead of time on the Linkt app or website.

Toll Notices are being replaced by digital early reminders and Toll Payment Demands

From July, you’ll no longer receive paper Toll Notices, with their corresponding Toll Notice Administration Fees, if you have an unpaid toll.

If you have Toll Notices and Toll Notice Administration Fees from travel prior to the date these changes take effect, these still need to be paid.

New digital reminders

To make the system simpler and easier, you will now receive reminders about unpaid tolls via email and / or SMS rather than by mail.

Once these changes come into effect, if you take an unpaid trip on a Sydney toll road, you will receive an Unpaid Toll Reminder by email and/or SMS a few days later, where digital contact details are available.

If the toll remains unpaid, you may receive a Toll Payment Demand, also by email and/or SMS.

These reminders are sent using the contact details linked to your vehicle registration via Service NSW.  If digital contact details are unavailable, you will receive the Toll Payment Demand via mail.

Paying on time

In NSW, the law requires that tolls must be paid when they are due. If you do not pay your tolls on time, this may result in civil debt recovery processes and/or penalty notices (fines) which, if unpaid, could lead to outcomes such as suspension of vehicle registration or driver’s licence, or court action.

Sydney's toll roads are owned and managed through a combination of government and private-sector arrangements. Governments typically grant long-term agreements that allow private operators like Transurban (and those we partner with like Australian super funds) to finance, build, operate and maintain roads for a specified period.

Transurban operates 11 toll roads in Sydney under these agreements with the NSW Government including the Cross City Tunnel, Eastern Distributor, Hills M2, Lane Cove Tunnel, M5 East, M5 South-West, NorthConnex, WestConnex M4, WestConnex M8, (including the Rozelle Interchange with connections to the M4-M8 Link)) WestConnex M4-M8 Link and the Westlink M7.

Under this model:

• Transurban funds, builds, operates, and maintains the toll road under temporary agreements with the NSW Government.
• At the end of the agreement, the road and its operations are handed back to the NSW Government at no cost to taxpayers.
• The NSW Government also independently owns and operates its own toll roads (such as the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Tunnel). 

Roads are tolled to fund the construction, daily operation, and ongoing maintenance of major transport infrastructure. This can run into billions of dollars which is why governments often partner with private companies to develop and build roads infrastructure.

By choosing to partner with private companies to take on some of the cost, it enables governments to direct their funds into other critical community services such as health and education, in addition to the revenue they receive from tolls.

Across our network, Transurban utilises toll funding to invest in the latest on-road technology, ensuring our roads reduce congestion, improve driver safety, and provide efficient travel over the long term. 

Toll prices increase to keep up with the rising cost of living (inflation) and to help fund the 24/7 operation, maintenance, and safety of our motorways. These prices are carefully mapped out and regulated by long-term agreements between Transurban and state governments.

The main reasons tolls increase:

• Keeping up with inflation (CPI): just like the cost of groceries or building materials rises over time, tolls are usually linked to the Consumer Price Index (CPI). This ensures the prices reflect the real-world costs of keeping the roads running smoothly.
• Strict government agreements: the exact way tolls increase is controlled by our government contracts. Depending on the specific road you're driving on, the toll will generally increase in line with inflation, or by a set minimum percentage each year.
• Funding safety and upgrades: tolls provide the ongoing funding needed for round-the-clock incident response crews, new safety technology, and regular maintenance aimed at giving you a safe and reliable trip.

How often a toll updates depends on the motorway and the state you live in. Toll increases and adjustments are published on the Linkt website before they take effect. 

No, Transurban does not set toll prices. All toll prices, regular price updates, and vehicle classifications are determined and regulated by state governments.

When a new toll road is being built, the government will enter into a long-term contract (known as a concession deed), which maps out this agreement. Transurban maintains and operates the roads and manages toll collection entirely within the rules of these agreements.

Toll prices are influenced by the initial prices set by state governments, price updates over time and different vehicle categories (such as passenger cars versus heavy commercial vehicles).

Toll road concessions typically last for several decades, usually ranging between 30 and 70 years. The exact timeframe is determined by the specific contract between the toll road operator, like Transurban, and the state government when the project is first planned.

Concessions last this length of time to:

• Recover building costs: building major transport infrastructure, like underground tunnels and multi-lane motorways, requires a massive initial financial investment often running into billions of dollars. A long-term agreement gives operators the time needed to gradually recover these heavy construction costs through toll collection.
• Ongoing maintenance and safety: the contract isn't just about building the road. For the entire duration of the concession, the operator is fully responsible for funding the road's upkeep. This includes paying for 24/7 incident response teams, regular repairs and resurfacing, and ongoing safety technology upgrades.

When a concession period reaches its end date, the management, operation, and revenue of the motorway are handed back to the government in good working order, typically at no cost to taxpayers.

Every motorway has its own unique end date based on its specific contract and the scale of the project.

A portion of toll revenue goes directly towards the day-to-day operation, ongoing maintenance, and safety of the road you're driving on. Transurban and its partners reinvest a portion of toll revenue into on-road technology to improve road safety and provide more efficient journeys.

A portion of your toll pays for:

• Day-to-day operations and safety: a significant portion of the revenue funds the people and technology that keep our motorways running 24/7. This includes incident response crews, state-of-the-art traffic control centres, and customer support teams.
• Ongoing maintenance and upgrades: tolls pay for the physical upkeep of the road over its entire lifespan. This covers everything from regular road resurfacing and tunnel ventilation maintenance, to rolling out new safety technologies and lane enhancements.
• Repaying construction costs: building major transport infrastructure, like tunnel networks, requires billions of dollars upfront. Toll revenue allows us to gradually pay back the initial loans and pay a return to investors—which often includes millions of everyday Australians through their superannuation funds.
• Government fees: in many cases, a portion of the revenue also goes back to the state government in the form of concession fees and taxes, which can then be used to fund other public services and community projects.

If an unpaid toll escalates to a government infringement notice (a fine), the money collected from that fine goes directly to the State Government, not to Transurban or Linkt.

How money collected in fines is broken down:

• Government fine revenue: penalty amounts attached to an infringement notice are collected entirely by state enforcement agencies, such as Revenue NSW, Fines Victoria, or SPER in Queensland.
• Funding public services: state governments channel this revenue into their consolidated state budgets, which helps fund community services like hospitals, schools, public transport, and infrastructure.

We don't want you to get a fine.

We would always prefer you pay the original toll rather than receive a government fine. That’s why we send multiple reminder notices and offer Linkt Assist to help customers experiencing financial difficulty settle their accounts before they escalate.

We know many people are feeling the pressure of rising living costs and that every dollar matters. That’s why we're focused on helping drivers get more value from their travel.

Transurban assists drivers with cost-of-living pressures through three primary support channels: the Linkt Rewards program, integration with government toll relief, and our dedicated financial hardship support.

• Linkt Assist (financial hardship): if you're experiencing financial hardship, confidential support is available through the Linkt Assist team. Information on how to apply for payment plans or financial hardship support is available on the Linkt website and app.
• Community grants: as part of our community grants program, this year we delivered an additional $200,000 in grants supporting 29 community organisations that are helping people navigate the cost-of-living crisis. 
• Linkt Rewards (everyday discounts): drivers can access everyday savings through the Linkt app. This includes fuel discounts at 7-Eleven, savings at Star car washes, and discounted Sydney airport parking.
• NSW toll relief rebate scheme: eligible Sydney drivers can claim government toll relief to help manage living expenses. Confirm your eligibility, link your Service NSW and Linkt accounts, track your toll spend, and claim your rebate directly through the scheme.