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The entrance to the Clem7 tunnel. Picture: Tara Croser. MORE than $1 million a day is being collected from southeast Queensland motorists by toll road operators.
Figures released by Transurban Group, which bought the Queensland Motorways-operated toll network earlier this year, show $370 million was raised in revenue during 2013-14 from the Gateway and Logan motorways, Clem7 tunnel and Go Between Bridge.
BrisConnections, owner of the AirportLink tunnel, does not publish its figures, but with more than 50,000 vehicles passing through, it generates more than $200,000 a day.
At a recent investors’ day held in Brisbane, Transurban executives outlined plans to increase the profitability of the roads and tunnels.
Successful initiatives used on Transurban’s routes in the US may be introduced here, including toll prices that fluctuate according to the time of day or congestion levels and loyalty schemes offering discounts at businesses near toll road entrances and exits.
A consortium, led by Transurban, paid $7 billion in April for the rights to the existing Queensland Motorways network and the Legacy Way tunnel from Brisbane’s western suburbs, due in April. The group is also a likely bidder for Airport Link, expected to be sold by early next year.
Transurban’s Queensland general manager Wes Ballantine told the investors’ session on September 18 that the Gateway Motorway was “clearly the jewel” in the portfolio.
Averaging more than 108,000 vehicles a day, the route generated $177 million in revenue last financial year – 48 per cent of the total. The Logan Motorway carries more traffic – almost 149,000 vehicles a day – and raised $139.5 million last year.
Raelene Corner uses the Airport Link several times a week. Picture: Russell Brown.
Disappointing vehicle numbers using the Clem7 tunnel under the Brisbane River have prompted Transurban to relaunch it as “Clem7.1” in a drive to encourage motorists to give it a go, as The Courier-Mail reported this week.
The company said research showed drivers were unconvinced that it offered significant time savings and found signage and entry and exit points confusing.
But Transurban’s assertion that cost was not a factor in low usage was contradicted by Mr Ballantine.
He said vehicle numbers had dropped 2.1 per cent between July and mid-September but revenue for the tunnel was up 10 per cent on the back of a 15 per cent jump in the toll price during the past year.
“No one from our perspective is forecasting … massive growth rates but it serves an important need for the city and we can eke out value through better integration, better operating and further marketing efforts,” he said.
RACQ senior transport economist Susan Furze said: “There is very little doubt in my mind that toll prices are a disincentive to motorists in using roads.”
The Queensland toll network is operating at a 71 per cent margin of earnings before interest, tax and depreciation, but aims to lift that to at least 80 per cent in line with its operations in Sydney and Melbourne.
Brisbane Airport Link Tunnel
Toll prices are legislated by the State Government.
Mr Ballantine refused to answer questions from The Courier-Mail.
Raelene Corner, 45, said she uses the Airport Link about two or three times a week to visit family on the other side of the city. She said the tunnels were less stressful and a major time-saver.
The airport development planner said the time she saved was worth more than the cost of using the roadway.
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(20min delay)