Tuesday 13 September 2011

News briefs: Australia and Sweden

Toll evasion in Queensland: Brisbane’s Courier Mail reports that the Queensland Government is owed A$7 million (US$7.3 million) in unpaid tolls from around 58,000 toll evaders using toll roads owned by state owned tollway company – Queensland Motorways. “State Penalties Enforcement Registry has finalised 6368 toll debts totalling $891,000 but it is still trying to recover almost $7.25 million from 52,000 others.” The problem arises from motorists using free flow lanes on the toll roads, which results in them getting four notices to pay before the debt is referred to the State Penalties Enforcement Registry.

Professor pushes first toll road for Western Australia: According to WA Today, Professor Peter Newman, well known in “new urbanism” circles, is pushing for a new expressway planned between Perth and its airport to be the city’s first toll road. He says that Australian capital cities would inevitably have to introduce a sophisticated pricing mechanism such as the system used in Singapore for the past 15 years, which measures the level of congestion on a road and charges accordingly. He’s an advocate for road pricing to subsidise public transport, but it is notable how Perth is currently Australia’s fastest growing city, but the largest city with no toll roads (unlike Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane).

Q-Free wins Gothenburg congestion charging contract: CisionWire notes that Norwegian toll supplier, Q Free has won the contract to supply roadside equipment for the Gothenburg, Sweden, congestion charge scheme, it has been subject to a complaint by a competitor that as of writing, appears to yet to be finalised.

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