A congestion tax on Sydney’s roads is being identified as the only way to ease peak hour traffic snarls and persuade motorists to use public transport.
A new study has found 14 extra Lane Cove tunnels would need to be built every year for the next five years - just to stop traffic getting any worse.
In the last 12 years more than a million extra cars use Sydney’s roads and experts believe an additional 83,000 cars will battle the morning peak-hour in just five years.
But Roads Minister Eric Roozendaal says the findings are nonsense.
“We need common sense solutions not armchair-advice from academics in ivory towers.”
“We’re targeting pinch-points around the roads network through our $100 million Pinch Point program and our $660 million Urban Transport statement is targeting improving public transport corridors and improving the roads network.”
Shadow Minister Duncan Gay says he thinks a congestion tax for Sydney motorists is a good idea.
“I think it’s something that’s certainly worth looking at.”
“The problem at the moment is this Minister has no plans and is not looking at anything for the future.”
“All he spends his time doing is demeaning people that point out the problem.”