ATA Wants Stronger Regulations On Tolls, Landside Port Charges & Local Government Charges

The Australian Trucking Association (ATA) is calling for further regulation of toll road charges and landside port charges, as well as a ban on additional local government road use charges. In a recent submission to the Australian government, the ATA stated that it agrees with the government’s decision to enlist an independent price regulator for assessing heavy vehicle-related charges, but indicated it wants the regulator to have more power to keep costs in check.

Tolls & Port Charges

The ATA point out that in Sydney on the M7 motorway, tolls for trucks are now at triple the rate as those for cars. Landside port charges in 2017 went up by around $20 to $30 per container, with fees increasing as frequently as twice in the same year.

Local Heavy Vehicle Charges

Local governments in Western Australia are also putting extra charges in place specifically for heavy vehicles. The ATA says that one company “has had to abandon operating at concessional mass limits because of excessive local government charges” and now has to run “an additional 1,420 truck movements per year within the council for a single product line.” 

Ultimately, the ATA wants the government to forgo making adjustments to the existing PAYGO pricing model and instead find a new solution that will work now and in the future.