Owner/Driver #339
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NatRoad Warren Clark<br />
Toll road discrimination<br />
Sydney’s NorthConnex compulsory truck<br />
regulations are now being enforced<br />
TRUCK REGULATIONS on Pennant<br />
Hills Road are now being enforced.<br />
Truck drivers who seek to avoid<br />
the compulsory NorthConnex<br />
tunnel in Sydney face fines of<br />
$194 each time they travel along<br />
Pennant Hills Road without a<br />
genuine pickup or delivery destination<br />
along that road.<br />
Trucks carrying dangerous goods, or<br />
restricted access vehicles, may continue using<br />
Pennant Hills Road, but all trucks over the<br />
length of 12.5m or the height of 2.8m are<br />
forced to pay $24.34 per trip.<br />
NatRoad asked the NSW government to<br />
determine the position that no further toll<br />
roads should be mandated for heavy vehicles.<br />
There should always be an alternative route to<br />
a tolled route.<br />
The NorthConnex experience should not be<br />
repeated. Many in the road transport industry<br />
continue to suffer from the detrimental<br />
business impact of COVID-19 and the impact<br />
of compulsory tolls is further affecting many<br />
businesses’ already slim profit margins.<br />
An industry survey in 2020 found that<br />
average net profit (after tax) margins in the<br />
sector have fallen to around three per cent<br />
of revenue, increasing the pressure many<br />
fleets face when it comes to modernising<br />
their transport equipment and requiring cost<br />
reduction measures to be introduced.<br />
FORWARD PLANNING<br />
NatRoad has urged the government to<br />
consider establishing an independent body<br />
to monitor and report on the operation of<br />
tollways and the costs to users, as well as to<br />
guide the g overnment on whether future toll<br />
roads are required or cost-effective and/or<br />
their location.<br />
In the absence of such a body, NatRoad<br />
WARREN CLARK, NatRoad’s<br />
chief executive officer,<br />
has more than 20 years’<br />
experience leading and<br />
developing business for<br />
emerging companies.<br />
Warren has held the<br />
position of CEO at<br />
various companies and<br />
is a certified chartered<br />
accountant.<br />
has asked that any forward plans on tolling<br />
roads be shared with stakeholders so forward<br />
planning can occur.<br />
Often the placement of toll roads can cause<br />
congestion and other pressures on nearby<br />
roads. NatRoad members have indicated<br />
that this has occurred in respect of the<br />
Bexley area following the introduction of<br />
a toll on the M5 East. If this toll road was<br />
also made mandatory it would be extremely<br />
disappointing and we have indicated that this<br />
should not happen.<br />
No doubt private sector investment in road<br />
infrastructure can help improve the road<br />
network. Less congested, safer, well-designed<br />
roads can equate to time savings, reliability<br />
and reduced heavy vehicle operating costs.<br />
But these advantages all amount to very little<br />
where tolling arrangements unreasonably<br />
discriminate against heavy vehicle operators,<br />
as has happened with the construction of the<br />
NorthConnex tunnel both in the setting of<br />
tolls and in the mandated requirement to use<br />
the tunnel.<br />
NatRoad continues to work with<br />
governments and toll operators to ensure<br />
tolling fees are decided with greater<br />
transparency, in an effort to avoid a similar<br />
situation to NorthConnex occurring on other<br />
toll roads like the new M5 East toll.<br />
Now that fines are about to bite for those<br />
who don’t take NorthConnex, it’s time to<br />
ensure that the NorthConnex debacle never<br />
happens again.<br />
“It’s time to ensure that<br />
the NorthConnex debacle<br />
never happens again.”<br />
Real Service<br />
Real People<br />
Real Experience<br />
Real Insurance Solutions<br />
Transport & Business Insurance Services Pty Ltd ABN 22 622 458 593 - AR#<br />
0012620074 Corporate Authorised Representative of Midland Insurance<br />
Brokers Australia Pty Ltd - ABN 81 006 528 329 - ASFL No. 238 963<br />
02 6925 8788<br />
www.tbiinsurance.com.au<br />
ownerdriver.com.au<br />
APRIL 2021 39