No more free tolls in Vic

[MadKaw]

Motorcyclists about to get slugged on Melbourne tollways

With the announcement that motorcycle and scooter riders will have to pay tolls to use EastLink, the new freeway connecting Donvale in Melbourne's north east to Frankston in the south east, Honda says a rapidly growing segment of the commuter market will be discriminated against.

In the lead up to the official opening of what is Victoria's largest road project in recent times, those who commute on two wheels have been marginalised, according to Honda Australia's Managing Director, Stuart Strickland.

"Motorcyclists are a unique user group and making them pay a toll on major commuting thoroughfares is extremely unfair on a number of fronts."

"Global warming and traffic congestion are just two of the reasons why responsible authorities encourage the safe use of environmentally friendly transport, yet slapping a toll on riders is a complete contradiction of this philosophy," Mr Strickland noted.

"Governments should be encouraging forms of transport that leave the lowest footprint on the environment possible. What easier way than to exempt riders from having to pay road tolls?"

"With the escalating price of fuel making it impossible for some families to own more than one car, there need to be incentives in place to encourage alternative forms of transport, not discourage them."

The toll for riders will be about half that for a car in spite of the fact that bikes take less than half the road space of a car. Powered two-wheelers also cause far less wear and tear on the road.

Around 40% of Melburnians live in the corridor in which EasLink operates, which includes important retail, commercial and industrial centres. Further, City of Melbourne surveys indicate the number of people commuting to work on powered two-wheelers has doubled in recent times.
"We believe instituting the toll will force some riders to return to single occupant cars adding to the greenhouse effect, not lessening it." Mr Strickland added.

"Others may opt for less safe routes to avoid paying the toll, and since freeways are significantly safer for riders, this could ultimately lead to an increased road toll."

"Motorcycles and scooters help traffic flow as they take up less space than cars on the road. Isn't this what we want to see for our city as congestion spirals out of control?"

"ConnectEast (EastLink's operator) could make a significant contribution to the community and the environment by allowing powered two-wheelers to use the new freeway toll free."

"A significant proportion of motorcycle and scooter users also have a car in the family which means they would appreciate the gesture, and be less inclined to avoid the tollway as do residents of Sydney with the Lane Cove extension!"

"This whole push against promoting alternative modes of transport by our current Government and private business is not only illogical, it is completely discriminatory," he added.

Motorcyclists and interested road users are encouraged to submit their point of view to ConnectEast as well as the Victorian Motorcycle Advisory Council at VicRoads.

[z900/zx9]

Heres a good excuse to use flip plates for the commute on the toll ways,see a toll gate flip then return to normal program

[Blurr]

live in sydney!!!! We pay for all of them ....thats only if you cant figure out how to get through without hitting the pressure plates

[dave#3]

They're bitching about paying half-toll. We pay the same toll as a car

[Gosling1]

what is surprising is that Strickland reckons it could force a lot of bikers 'back into cars'....

How does he figure that ? The toll is half the price ?? How does getting back into the car make economic sense ??

That part is crap - most of the rest of what he says makes sense.

What makes me laugh is that the entire 'Road Plan' developed for Victoria (whatever its called), does not mention motorcyles anywhere ?? What a pack of short-sighted nobs who developed that woftam...

Wait till fuel is $3 a litre, and 'born-again bikers' start riding to save money !! muahahaahahhaah They will have to acknowledge the rights of motorcyclists to be considered as part of an overall transport strategy then eh ???

[mick_dundee]

They're bitching about paying half-toll. We pay the same toll as a car

And that's why we're bitching so we don't get to that stage Fwiw Eastlink have ssaid all along hey will be tolling bikes, I don't really have a prob with it but then I might head up that way maybe twice a year too

[triway]

Meh.........

Who wants to go to Franston anyway??

[javaman]

What makes me laugh is that the entire 'Road Plan' developed for Victoria (whatever its called), does not mention motorcyles anywhere ?? What a pack of short-sighted nobs who developed that woftam...

Wait till fuel is $3 a litre, and 'born-again bikers' start riding to save money !! muahahaahahhaah They will have to acknowledge the rights of motorcyclists to be considered as part of an overall transport strategy then eh ???

And to top it all, we got to pay $50 extra, while the cyclist got $7mio subsidy ... start pedalling boys

[Smitty]

..they are idiots

but what do we expect from guvmints....

[mick_dundee]

Meh.........

Who wants to go to Franston anyway??

Where else can you wear your moccies and feel at home??

[zzzak]

live in sydney!!!! We pay for all of them ....thats only if you cant figure out how to get through without hitting the pressure plates

More info please.

[Blurr]

live in sydney!!!! We pay for all of them ....thats only if you cant figure out how to get through without hitting the pressure plates

More info please.

more info on what???

[Ratmick]

more info on what???

I'm guessing this bit:

live in sydney!!!! We pay for all of them ....thats only if you cant figure out how to get through without hitting the pressure plates

Mick

[zzzak]

Yep.

[99coconuts]

bikes environmentally friendly? my bike chews more fuel than the car!

A lot of whats said makes *some* sense, but it really sounds like clutching at straws to me. face facts, we're not gunna get it for free on our bikes (i will in my work van tho... sooooo handy ) so we just deal with it. why we'd want to hang out on ANOTHER car park tho is beyond me