Minns commits Labor to fight against 'tollmania'

The Opposition Leader has long railed against what he calls 'excessive tolls' in Sydney.

"Sydney has the highest tolls in the world," he said.

"There is an urgent need for tolling reform right across Sydney roads. Reform must focus on reducing costs for motorists and not just moving the problem around the network.

"Toll mania has to end. People are under enough pressure and some families are paying $6000 a year in tolls.

"A motorist using the M5 East every day will now pay more than $3,000 a year when previously they paid nothing.

"The public has already paid for this road. Now the Berejiklian Government wants the public to pay for it 15 times over.

"I'm calling on the Government to stop putting new tolls on old roads - like the M4 and M5 East, and stop signing contracts that increase tolls above inflation."

Mr Minns said he would fight the government's plans to sell the remaining 49 per cent of WestConnex.

"NSW cannot afford to have a toll-road monopoly," he said.

"The Premier must stop the moves to privatise the remaining share of WestConnnex."

The terms of the government's contract with WestConnex will remain confidential until 2060.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian has long said motorists should be pleased with the travel time savings and the convenience toll roads offer.

"You will have those extra time savings that you did not have before," she said in July 2020 at an M8 tunnel announcement.

"We're building a network which is efficient, which saves time, which is safer and above ground it reduces congestion and pressure."