NSW toll roads to be E-Tag only in 2005

Hope everyone's got their E-tag ready for use.

From the Telegraph, 21/12/2004

===
Cash ban on tolls as e-tag takes over

December 20, 2004

TOLL booths will be removed from Sydney motorways from next year as the
NSW government moves to force motorists to embrace the electronic tag
system.

Roads Minister Carl Scully today said the roll out of cashless tolls,
flagged for some time, would begin on the new Cross City tunnel, to open
early next year.

The Sydney Harbour tunnel will be converted soon after, and the M7
Westlink and the Lane Cove tunnel, to open in 2006 and 2007
respectively, will also be cashless.

"We've got four motorways over the next few years (which will be) all
cashless," Mr Scully told ABC radio.

"More and more Sydney motorists will be needing to have these e-tags
just to use these motorways and that will have a flow-on effect to the
rest of the motorways currently open."

He said drivers would be quick to fully embrace the technology.

"Australians do embrace technology and many, many motorists see the
benefit of not fumbling for change (and) having their account managed,"
Mr Scully said.

"You get a statement on a quarterly or monthly basis, it's easier to
manage your affairs and generally speaking you get through toll gates
more efficiently."
===

Doesn't catagorically say that existing roads will be affected, but you
can bet they won't be far behind.

Between Michael "the fat controller" Costa & Carl "the robber baron"
Scully, you're screwed no matter what way you travel.

DaZZa

 

works very well here in victoria
I don't know why some of you are so against it.
Means traffic won't stop to pay tolls.

 

How does it work with bikes ?

 

It is a safer way to travel, I have 4 e-tags (2 for cars and 2 for bikes).

I hate stopping at toll booths and trying to hold up the bike on a greasy
patch whilst fumbling in the tank bag for change.

My prediction is that e-tags will be required on all registered vehicals
within 5 years.

Boxer

 

At present the tags for bikes are not waterproof so I put mine in the top of
the tank bag, never had a problem with it.

Boxer

 

What about hillbillies like me who rarely visit captial cities? I'm
not buying a fucking etag to use once a year (if that).

 

What about those in NSW who don't live/drive anywhere near a toll road (i.e.
not in Sydney)?

One might never drive through a toll road, but would still need an e-tag -
what a great idea.

 

Why do you think so? The technology is already in place for 'automatic'
tolling without etags. It's already in use in Melbourne. It's supposed to
work well. I wouldn't know. I don't pay to drive on roads which the Liberal
Party sold.

Nev..
'03 ZX12R

 

Works great for bikes in Victoria.

Nev..
'03 ZX12R

 

So how does a tag in my tankbag (which on average probably spends 350 or
so days a year sitting on the top sheft of my wardrobe) register when
I've ridden through a tollbooth?

big

 

And the winner is:

Gerry The Crank!

(seriously though, have you checked your medication lately Gerry???)

big

 

In Vic, at least on Citylinks toll roads , bikes arnt charged tolls ,
due to the difficulty of photographing the rear number plate .
All the Citylink toling points are designed to photgraph the front
number plates , which bikes dont have.

MD

 

Boxer wrote:

I thought bikes didn't need an etag. When did it change?

Nick

 

No toll on bikes in Vic, thats why you have no problems.
Al

 

My problem too, we're lucky to use any of the Sydney tollways 3 times a
year. What does an etag cost to setup initially?

Al

 

Tanks cant use e-tags as the signals wont go through that much steel.

Boxer

(a stupid answer for a really stupid question)

 

I'm missing the connection here, but, to get into the spirit of the thing, I
would have been in favour of the Norman Invasion of Britain. The Roman even.
And the seige of Troy (although Paris and Helen sound like characters in a
modern reality program).
Huh?

Theo

 

E-tags will be used in the future for many things including tolls.

They will be able to check the registration of your vehicle, the location of
your car for traffic planning purposes. a statistical analysis of traffic
flow and trip patterens etc. And you thought front number plates were the
big issue.

Boxer

 

We could have an implant at birth and when we eventually learn to drive we
will get a monthly statement
Harbour Bridge- $20
Eastern Parkway- $25
Speeding- $250
Burglary- Go to Jail, Go Directly to Jail, Do not pass Go.

Theo

 

The deposit on my e-tags is $40.00 each and we get a 10% discount by using
them.

So we get $110 worth of credit for each $100 top up of each e-tag. (you can
nominate a top-up amount from your credit card for each top up I have chosen
$100)

I spend about $300 a year on tolls so the discount amounts to $30 per year
so the payoff period for the 4 e-tags is 5.3 years.

http://www.qldmotorways.com.au/index.aspx

I can use these Queensland e-tags with all New South Wales and Victorian
toll roads.

Boxer