MOTORISTS are using one of Sydney's most congested roads in the morning peak to avoid paying the new $4 Harbour Bridge and Tunnel toll, Roads and Traffic Authority figures and the Australian Traffic Network suggest.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
On January 27 the State Government raised the bridge and tunnel tolls from $3 to $4 between 6.30am and 9.30am in an effort to reduce congestion during the morning peak.
But traffic numbers from the first 12 weekdays of the scheme published by the RTA suggest that some motorists are simply using Victoria Road - the city's slowest traffic artery - to get to work in the morning.
The Herald took the number of cars using the Ryde and Gladesville bridges during the peak tolling period between January 27 and February 12 and compared this with the same period last year.
The analysis showed that while the total number of cars heading into the city via all routes had fallen, the proportion of motorists using Victoria Road was 4 per cent higher than in 2008.
Ian Wallace, from the Australian Traffic Network, said he had observed an increase in traffic on the alternative routes into the CBD.
"The picture I'm getting in the morning is that people are ducking around the bridge and the tunnel to avoid the $4 toll," he said. "Some are coming onto Victoria Road from Ryde and the M2 Motorway and others are coming down Parramatta Road, going onto Dobroyd Parade and then funnelling onto the Anzac Bridge via the City West Link."
"There's been a clear trend."
Traffic on Victoria Road was banked back to Lyons Road yesterday morning as heavy rain forced traffic to a crawl. Motorists using the tunnel also faced long delays.
But the RTA said it was "too early to determine a conclusive traffic pattern".
"Traffic modelling carried out by the RTA before time-of-day tolling was introduced showed that some fluctuations were expected to occur as motorists altered their travel patterns to determine the most cost- and time-effective route to suit their needs," a spokeswoman said.
"Since time-of-day tolling was introduced on January 27 traffic volumes have continued to rise in the 5.30am to 6.30am off-peak-hour period compared to the same time as last year. Weather conditions such as rain experienced this morning can also have an impact on travel patterns."
