Allan Fels is a regulator first and foremost.
The former ACCC chairman has demonstrated his willingness to stamp his mark on Sydney’s tolling regime, which unfairly hits the hip pockets of motorists in the city’s west.
It should be no surprise then that the man whom the Minns government hired to launch a wide-ranging review into the toll system has laid out bold plans for a major regulatory upheaval.
Professor Allan Fels has laid out plans for a major shake-up of Sydney’s patchwork of toll roads. Credit: Kate Geraghty
Chief among them in Fels’ interim report is the proposed creation of a state-owned tolling authority – known as State TollCo – to take back control of motorway charges and to set toll prices.
Fels made clear on Monday that legislation would be needed to set up the state’s de facto tolling regulator, partly to avoid the government getting bogged down in legal disputes with Transurban and other large investors who have multibillion-dollar interests in toll roads.
It runs the risk of setting the government up for a fight with Sydney’s king of tolling. Transurban is the 100-pound gorilla that Fels did not shy away from calling out for its monopoly status. It controls 11 of Sydney’s 13 toll roads including WestConnex.
Pre-empting Fels’ interim report, Transurban has been on the charm offensive recently, spruiking fuel discounts. Under new chief executive Michelle Jablko, Transurban signalled late last year that it will give more incentives to motorists using its toll roads.
The company was nuanced in its public response on Monday to the Fels review but peak body Infrastructure Partnerships Australia did not hold back. It said unilaterally legislating to alter existing contracts was “reckless” and should be ruled out.
Allan Fels wants to shake up Sydney toll roads. But it’s politically risky
8
0
11.03.2024
Allan Fels is a regulator first and foremost.
The former ACCC chairman has demonstrated his willingness to stamp his mark on Sydney’s tolling regime, which unfairly hits the hip pockets of motorists in the city’s west.
It should be no surprise then that the man whom the Minns government hired to launch a wide-ranging review into the toll system has laid out bold plans for a major regulatory upheaval.
Professor Allan Fels has laid out........
© The Sydney Morning Herald
visit website
login
who are we?
contact us
qosheapp
Toi Staff
Gideon Levy
Belen Fernandez
Rami G Khouri
Mort Laitner
Donald Low
Ali Fathollah-Nejad
Nikkei Editorial
