Sydney has an extensive motorway network, but there's a catch. More than 67% of Sydney's motorways charge a toll. Sydney has been dubbed one of the most heavily tolled cities in the world, and there’s no end in sight, with most of the toll contracts not due to expire for over 20 years. Cost of living is one of the most important issues in the upcoming NSW State Election, and both sides of the government have promised to try and reform Sydney’s toll problem...but this isn’t a problem with a simple solution.
In this video, I'll provide a heavily detailed analysis into Sydney's tolling nightmare, delving into the many benefits of toll roads, but also its many disadvantages, explaining Sydney's highly disparate network, the inequitable fees that disproportionately impact Western Sydney residents, the attempts by the government to reform Sydney's toll hell, and the one private company - Transurban - who owns and produces record profits from almost every toll road in Sydney. This is a story of ambition and greed - and it isn't pretty.

Support me over at Ko-Fi! https://ko-fi.com/buildingbeautifully
Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/building_beautifully/
Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/build_beaut

Links:
Michael West's video on Transurban: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_1V86vG3IY
Excel spreadsheet detailing every toll road in Sydney: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1XmBoGD3mlzQa9ln32YG7Mp7DsN4qquja/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=111993798224059779326&rtpof=true&sd=true
Every submission I received from subscribers' on their views on tolls (de-identified): https://drive.google.com/file/d/1gIlf3sfBC-3Djlg05eQWzgikoSxK83He/view?usp=sharing
NSW Parliamentary Inquiry into toll roads in Sydney: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1GMGiZ1NEsVshUNQJg-70_9137n9R2nt6/view?usp=sharing
Transurban's response to this inquiry: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1GKqZ97UzhS_qqfhuYc4VhyX-lqAhEh6T/view?usp=sharing
A research article titled "Toll road - a view after 25 years": https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/01441647.2017.1330850?cookieSet=1
An ABC article into the inequities of tolls in Sydney: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-09-28/new-south-wales-one-of-most-tolled-jurisdictions-in-world/101413350#:~:text=%22The%20problem%20in%20NSW%20is,they%20otherwise%20need%20to%20be.
A SMH article describing how those most disadvantaged by tolls are in Western Sydney: https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/growing-inequalities-sydney-s-top-toll-payers-revealed-20220301-p5a0nr.html
Liberal's toll relief plan (which has already been launched): https://www.nsw.gov.au/media-releases/budget-2022-driver-toll-relief
Labor's pledge for toll reform if elected: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-02-12/nsw-election-labor-promises-60-dollar-road-toll-cap/101962720

Sections:
00:00 Intro
01:59 A background into Sydney's toll roads
04:14 Cost analysis of tolls
07:07 Who is most disadvantaged by tolls?
11:52 My subscribers' views on tolls
13:42 Perrottet and Minns' pledges for toll reform
16:03 Transurban's toll monopoly
21:41 Alternative solutions to Sydney's toll mess