New road pricing system needed after years of political neglect
Internationally respected transport economist,聽, says the state government鈥檚 current attempt to build its way out of the problem with new tollways will only 鈥渂uy a few years of growth鈥� before the city鈥檚 roads are again as congested as they are today.
Professor Hensher鈥檚 call for a complete overhaul of the current road pricing system comes just weeks out from a state election which is likely to be influenced by government鈥檚 spending on infrastructure development.
Why we need a complementary toll system
Professor Hensher says massive road projects such as WestConnex and NorthConnex 鈥渉ave positive value鈥�, however, his research indicates that a complementary user pays system of road charges could cut peak hour traffic further by up to 10 per cent or to 鈥渟chool holiday鈥� levels.
If my proposal is radical it鈥檚 because we need a radical approach in order to make a difference.
鈥湼咔甯＠� has suggested that we ought to move to a distance based charge of five cents a kilometre during peak hours but no charge at all in the off peak,鈥� Professor Hensher said. 鈥淚n order to ensure that people don鈥檛 pay more for their travel, we would also reduce registration charges.
鈥淭his is aligned with the many Federal government inquiries in road pricing,鈥� he said.
Commuter vs commercial concern
A recent survey by the Business School鈥檚 , headed by Professor Hensher, found that 70 per cent of road users would be prepared travel in off-peak periods if given a financial incentive to do so and to save time.
Professor Hensher rejected suggestions that his proposal was similar to the government鈥檚 policy of cutting registration fees for vehicle owners who paid more than a certain amount in tolls over a 12 month period.
鈥淎ll that the government is doing there is subsidising toll operator Transurban by telling users that if they continue to spend money on toll roads, they will not have to pay registration,鈥� Professor Hensher said.
鈥淪ydney now has more toll roads than any other city in the world,鈥� he added. 鈥淭ransurban basically controls our road network and that is a problem because it is a commercial concern, not one that鈥檚 going to benefit society as a whole.鈥�
Published research
Professor Hensher has written extensively on the聽
Hensher D (2019) Case Studies on Transport Policy.
Hensher D (2018) Transport Reviews, 38 (1), 1-5.
Hensher D, and Mulley C (2014) Transportation, 41 (4), 697-715.