Source : Perth Now news
NSW drivers are being urged to check if they’re eligible to claim back their tolls, as the government reveals there’s $140 million up for grabs as of January 13.
The latest toll relief update found road users who spent more than $60 a week on tolls across Sydney in the last 12 months, could be eligible for an average rebate of $277.
Since the $60 weekly toll cap was introduced in January 2024, roughly $75m has been returned to drivers.
While the cap allows motorists to claim back up to $340 each week, the latest data from Transport NSW found $140m in rebates remain unclaimed.
NRMA spokesman Peter Khoury encouraged road users to check if they were eligible for any of the toll relief.
“Anytime the government is giving money back the public, we will welcome it,” Mr Khoury said.
“These are people who are regularly using toll roads.
“The money is there, it belongs to the public and they should go get it.”
With 720,000 toll road users eligible to make a claim, motorists living in suburbs like Marsden Park, where there is a heavy reliance on toll roads, are estimated to be eligible for a share of $3.1 million in rebates.
NSW Roads minister John Graham said people can check their eligibility on the Service NSW website.
“The $60 toll cap is a critical cost-of-living support for hundreds of thousands of drivers, many of whom really have no viable alternative than to use Sydney’s toll road network to get to work or get the kids where they need to be,” he said.
“When we designed the toll relief scheme we did so with those suburbs in mind, where paying a toll is the price to get around and where in many cases public transport service is nowhere near the level of service enjoyed by other parts of Sydney.
“We know people are doing it tough and the toll cap is making it just that little bit fairer for drivers that heavily rely on the toll roads.”
Mr Khoury said the rebates would ensure NSW residents help boost their weekly budget amid the rising cost of living crisis.
“The average family spends about 20 per cent getting around on transport costs,” he said.
“Not everyone will be eligible as not everyone will spend $60 on tolls but for those who do it helps.
“Across the board, the cost of running a vehicle is major.”
NSW Customer Service minister Jihad Dib said Western Sydney motorists continue to benefit from the rebate program.
“The quarterly data keeps telling us that it is the people whose journeys start and end in Western Sydney who are claiming the lion’s share of toll relief, and this is where it is needed most,” he said.
“Drivers from The Central Coast, Blue Mountains, and Wollongong are also benefiting in great numbers, showing just how far and wide the benefits are flowing.”
