Brisbane's Gateway and Logan motorways will cease to be a free ride for truck drivers from midnight tonight. The Queensland Government
Brisbane’s Gateway and Logan motorways will cease to be a free ride for truck drivers from midnight tonight.
The Queensland Government scrapped tolls on the Gateway Bridge and the Logan arterial between the hours of 10pm and 5am for vehicles with three axles or more to encourage trucks to use the route as an alternative to the congested Brisbane Urban Corridor (BUC)
But Main Roads says the three-year trial will end tonight, while introducing penalties for operators who use the BUC route when they don’t have business in the area.
Cameras were installed last year to detect trucks using the BUC as a thoroughfare.
Main Roads Director-General Alan Tesch says the toll trial was a “valuable exercise” which found some reduction in three-plus axle usage of the BUC between 10pm and 5am.
“A Main Roads study has shown there has been some overall reduction in late night and early morning noise from the BUC, although noise levels remain high,” Tesch says.
“We now have sufficient data to help shape the future direction of heavy vehicle usage of the BUC.”
Main Roads originally planned to scrap the toll-free period on January 1, but a delay in the gazettal of public notices saw the date pushed back until January 18.
Main Roads will offer refunds for drivers who paid the toll during that period.
“All account holders will have the tolls shown on their statements over this period with a corresponding credit,” Tesch says. “This reversal of toll charges will appear in customers’ February statements and will occur automatically.”
Drivers who paid in cash are eligible for refunds by posting receipts to Main Roads.