TOLLS AND FEES

Cruising Granny · Guru

TOLLS AND FEES

jimricho · Guru

I'm not familiar with the Melbourne tollways but in Sydney there's a phone number that's clearly displayed at regular intervals along the tollway that one phones within 48 hours to arrange payment.

If I recall correctly this remains valid for a month and there's no need to call again within that time as the tolls will be debited to one's credit card. Maybe someone here that's more familiar with this than me will shed more light on this. If you check the website of the relevant tollway owner (a google search should provide this) you should be able to get more info.

I find it strange that anyone would drive a tollway without realising they had to pay as you allude to in you post. As it's illegal to use a tollway without an etag or a pass (as arranged in the phone call mentioned above) I don't like your chances of having the fines waived.

Ignorantia juris non excusat

(Edit: PS: Sorry Pauline If I've repeated some aspects of your post but I still was composing mine when you put your yours in)

-- Edited by jimricho on Saturday 23rd of June 2012 07:06:18 AM

BohemianGypsy · Guru

Sorry CG I forgot about the 3 day phone call thing and that is correct. In hindsight I would say it took 9 months because it went through court and the $122 fee is the outcome of that. I remember when I was travelling from the Blue Mountains when I worked there a few years ago and was going into Sydney I went through the tollway but I was lucky I did read the signs so arranged for payment through my credit card before the 3 days was up. It is a simple process you just have to make the phone call within the time stated is all. Good luck and my previous advice of fight it would have to be extracted. . . .sorry CG.
Michelle

-- Edited by BohemianGypsy on Saturday 23rd of June 2012 07:39:47 AM

Cupie · Guru

Maybe you should ring them & explain the situation & at the same time arrange to get an Etag. Be nice & maybe they might charge the tolls against your new account .. who knows. Then you could fudge the system a bit & include the cost on your tax return.

In Qld the tags are free (I have one for each of my vehicles that auto top up). The only establishment cost is the initial debit on your credit card to your Etoll account.

My main use for the Etag is to go across the Gateway bridge on the way north from Brisbane.

Having an Etag takes the worrry out of it all.

I HATE toll roads with a passion, but we must learn to live with them. Our past Brisbane Lord Mayor now Premier had a passion for them so they are likely to be part of the Qld landscape for the rest of my life.

-- Edited by Cupie on Saturday 23rd of June 2012 09:30:35 AM

Ron and Shirley · Senior Member

Cruising Granny wrote:
I apparently passed through a tollway in Melbourne on 03/10/11, and again through the same tollway on 07/10/11. I didn't have an etag at the time.

Living in Melbourne we use the Toll roads, or part thereof, quite often. I cannot understand how anybody is not aware that they are on a Tollway.

Firstly trip planning must be off as maps clearly show Tollways. Then every entrance is signed with Tollway signs, blue and yellow, plus along the sections of Tollways there are countless large blue and yellow signs advising how to pay the Toll.

However the following link explains why CG got a 2x $122 fine. Its a Police infringement notice for failure to pay the Toll invoice and then the overdue notice. Both probably sent to the vehicles registered address at the time of infringement. http://www.eastlink.com.au/make-a-payment

CitiLink, the other Melbourne Toll operator, also send out Toll invoices/overdue notices to those who travel without an e-Tag and fail to pay by phoning 13 26 29 or via the web, see http://www.citylink.com.au/3386.htm

-- Edited by Ron and Shirley on Saturday 23rd of June 2012 01:05:37 PM

BohemianGypsy · Guru

Cruising Granny wrote:
Can anyone tell me how this tollway thing works?
I apparently passed through a tollway in Melbourne on 03/10/11, and again through the same tollway on 07/10/11. I didn't have an etag at the time.
I have the photos so I know it's me, but the odd thing is I never received a bill. In fact I heard nothing until last week when I received 2 infringement notices for $122 each as the fine for not paying the tolls I didn't know I had to pay. That's 9 months later! Nine months!
What goes on with these tollways? Can anyone in Vic explain it to me please?
It seems a bit odd to receive the infringement notice for fines when I haven't received any bills for the outstanding tolls.

I would most certainly fight both infringements CG. Nine months after the fact is bloody ridiculous. Please keep us informed on this one CG as I would love to know the outcome.

Michelle

pauline · Guru

I think they all work the same way CG, you don't get bills it is up to you to ring them and pay it by credit card not sure about Eftpos if you don't have a etag, usually there are signs up with the phone number you have to ring and from memory I think you have 3 days. That is how it works in Qld and I think it is run by the same mob all over Austalia as our etag works anywhere. Someone else might know if this is wrong but boy this sure is a great money making scheme.

rod56 · Veteran Member

Sorry Granny, but you do not get a bill if you don't pay the toll, just an infringement notice. As the previous posters have said you have several days to phone through and pay. Probably taken so long as the toll company would have to go through the bureacracy of your states registration authorities to get your details. You could always try a letter explaining your circumstances and they may be nice .... but probably not

Rod

Dougwe · Chief one feather

Hi Chrissy, yes all the above is correct and usually you don't have a leg to stand on, the toll people say if you use you pay. I feel for you with those hefty fines, it makes you feel like you worked then for nothing.

I have a Etag and have been told it covers all tolls around this great Country of ours, although I would guess you don't think Victoria is all that great at this point in time.

You could try and get out of it but I don't think it will work in your favour, sorry. TRY anyway.

Keep up that great work you do though Chrissy.

Yuglamron · Guru

Just another rip off,as if we don't pay enough through other ways for our roads,Fuel ,Rego etc .
I do wonder about the Melbourne system though.I travelled on one of the toll roads and went through the Melba tunnel heading west just afterwards there were two toll gantrys that collected tolls.No road or exit between them.So why two collection points.
Go figure!

kandagal · Guru

If yu are towing a car behind a motorhome you need to be aware that they might use the wrong rego number. I had phoned & given rego number of M/H & credit card details before we used a toll road but later we received an infringement notice for rego of Suzuki. But once I phoned & explained they sorted it out quickly & OK.

Gerty Dancer · Guru

Tolls are one of those things in life nowadays that seem to be unavoidable. Well you can avoid toll roads, but it usually means driving for extra hours in horrible traffic, usually in an unfamiliar city.
Its easier to just get an e-tag. Ours might only get used a couple of times a year, but its peace of mind so as not to worry about phoning up to pay the toll or infringement notices.

Happywanderer · The Master

Up here in Qld, yes you do get bills. My son got a bill the other day from when his ex took the car down to the Gold Coast and travelled through the tolls. It was for about 12.00. A return trip. I showed him how to go online and pay it.
I do know in Vic if you don't have an etag and you know you are going to use the tolls, you ring them and book it in so to speak giving them you credit card details. It will be paid out of your account after you have been through the tolls.
If you don't know you are going to use the tolls until you are there, you can ring them after the event and pay with your credit card. I think you have to do that within 24 hours, I might be wrong on that.
My families down there do it all the time. Pre-ring that is.

Keith19837 · Senior Member

Cruising Granny wrote:
Can anyone tell me how this tollway thing works?
I apparently passed through a tollway in Melbourne on 03/10/11, and again through the same tollway on 07/10/11. I didn't have an etag at the time.

Hi C.G. It does seem a bit unfair. In Victoria there were some recent changes to the tollways where they now send a 'bill' to Vic drivers with a 'grace' period. I'm not sure if this extends to interstate registered vehicles (It didn't up to two years ago when I was with VicPol). Two private companies have the contracts for the running, maintenance etc of the cameras. Serco run the car mounted cameras and Tennex run the fixed cameras, both with 5 year contracts as bidded on for those periods. Under Vic law, they submit the 'infringements' to a section of the Dept of Justice who have a 'tame' Policeman to sign the Infringements because no one else has the authority to do so. The police used to run these cameras during the initial 2 year introduction about 20 years ago. (We got out of it A.S.A.P.) Unfortunately, both of these companies are bidding on N.S.W. and QLD to run the cameras in those States and started their feasability trials in mid 2010. (I believe Serco is the front runner). The 'bill' is a courtesy only, rather like registration and licence renewal in this State (Vic). To get back to your dilemma; you can apply for a 'review' to have the Court and Administration fees waived bringing the amount payable back to the toll fee only. Plead confusion and the long delay in any request you make (provided you haven't received any others in the last 12 months). The review is actually done by policmen/women who have no affiliation with the companies involved. For the sake of a short explanatory letter and 60 cent stamp, this is worthwhile. Please check your photo carefully. Whilst I was with VicPol, we noticed that many of the fines were issued to cars with the identical rego number but from a different state. This is due to many States now using the same formats and colours with only the small letters saying Vic, N.S.W. or wherever they're from. They do have a pretty good system of checks and balances but due to the sheer volumn of 'offenders' even one percent of errors still makes up alot of mistaken I.D.s. Just as a point of interest, a new style of vehicle mounted speed camera is soon to be fully operational (I saw these as part of my old job). Instead of a front mounted camera in a 'station wagon' style vehicle, the new ones are rear mounted in a van with rear 'barn doors'. These vehicles are Hyundai ILoads and similar type vehicles. They're being trialled over the last two years and are almost ready for final approval. You might have seen them doing 'live' trials with some external components visible and reflective 'arrow' bands around the bodywork. The final product will have no externals and no bands. All the equipment will be internal and the radar and camera will shoot through the 'barn door' windows. Anyhow, Try a review and see how you go. The longer you leave it, the more costs (Sheriffs etc) will build up. These things can reach more than $300. In Vic they can also suspend or refuse allow rego/licence renewal for unpaid fines; this will one day extend to interstaters if planned legislation goes through. For what it's worth.

ibbo · Senior Member

Keith19837 wrote:
Cruising Granny wrote:
Can anyone tell me how this tollway thing works?
I apparently passed through a tollway in Melbourne on 03/10/11, and again through the same tollway on 07/10/11. I didn't have an etag at the time.
Hi C.G. It does seem a bit unfair. In Victoria there were some recent changes to the tollways where they now send a 'bill' to Vic drivers with a 'grace' period. I'm not sure if this extends to interstate registered vehicles (It didn't up to two years ago when I was with VicPol). Two private companies have the contracts for the running, maintenance etc of the cameras. Serco run the car mounted cameras and Tennex run the fixed cameras, both with 5 year contracts as bidded on for those periods. Under Vic law, they submit the 'infringements' to a section of the Dept of Justice who have a 'tame' Policeman to sign the Infringements because no one else has the authority to do so. The police used to run these cameras during the initial 2 year introduction about 20 years ago. (We got out of it A.S.A.P.) Unfortunately, both of these companies are bidding on N.S.W. and QLD to run the cameras in those States and started their feasability trials in mid 2010. (I believe Serco is the front runner). The 'bill' is a courtesy only, rather like registration and licence renewal in this State (Vic). To get back to your dilemma; you can apply for a 'review' to have the Court and Administration fees waived bringing the amount payable back to the toll fee only. Plead confusion and the long delay in any request you make (provided you haven't received any others in the last 12 months). The review is actually done by policmen/women who have no affiliation with the companies involved. For the sake of a short explanatory letter and 60 cent stamp, this is worthwhile. Please check your photo carefully. Whilst I was with VicPol, we noticed that many of the fines were issued to cars with the identical rego number but from a different state. This is due to many States now using the same formats and colours with only the small letters saying Vic, N.S.W. or wherever they're from. They do have a pretty good system of checks and balances but due to the sheer volumn of 'offenders' even one percent of errors still makes up alot of mistaken I.D.s. Just as a point of interest, a new style of vehicle mounted speed camera is soon to be fully operational (I saw these as part of my old job). Instead of a front mounted camera in a 'station wagon' style vehicle, the new ones are rear mounted in a van with rear 'barn doors'. These vehicles are Hyundai ILoads and similar type vehicles. They're being trialled over the last two years and are almost ready for final approval. You might have seen them doing 'live' trials with some external components visible and reflective 'arrow' bands around the bodywork. The final product will have no externals and no bands. All the equipment will be internal and the radar and camera will shoot through the 'barn door' windows. Anyhow, Try a review and see how you go. The longer you leave it, the more costs (Sheriffs etc) will build up. These things can reach more than $300. In Vic they can also suspend or refuse allow rego/licence renewal for unpaid fines; this will one day extend to interstaters if planned legislation goes through. For what it's worth.
Keith thanks for the info.Also thank you for going to the trouble to help us with a ticklish problem.Cheers,Ibbo.

Lilliputians · Veteran Member

We have an e-tag for all our vehicles and a standing order debit on the credit card for $50 so when it gets low it is automatically topped up...for us it works perfectly...on on

pauline · Guru

We have the same with an automatic $25 debit top up when low..........

snapper49 · Senior Member

So where does one get an E tag ??
Does the same E Tag work in all states??

Thanks in advance

Cupie · Guru

snapper49 wrote:
So where does one get an E tag ??
Does the same E Tag work in all states??

Thanks in advance

For us in Qld etoll@qldmotorways.com.au or web site - govia.com.au

The info that they provide says that it works Australia wide & that you can add extra vehicles to your account, on line.

As far as not knowing that you are on a toll road, for those who rarely use toll roads it is sometimes confusing choosing a highway thru a major city with a van behind & then navigating onto it.

It seems to me that you are often 'chaneled' onto the toll way either by road design or just the flow of traffic.

In a strange environment it may be possible to miss the (obvious) signs particularly if you are on then off again in a relatively short distance.

In any case IMHO like it or not the answer is to fit an etag to all your vehicles.

Dunco · Senior Member

I say just pay it. You used the toll and didn't pay, sorry. End of story.

And yes, the E-tags work in every State no matter where you get yours

Ron and Shirley · Senior Member

Cupie wrote:
As far as not knowing that you are on a toll road, for those who rarely use toll roads it is sometimes confusing choosing a highway thru a major city with a van behind & then navigating onto it.
It seems to me that you are often 'chaneled' onto the toll way either by road design or just the flow of traffic.
In a strange environment it may be possible to miss the (obvious) signs particularly if you are on then off again in a relatively short distance.

Another invalid excuse for ending up on a Tollway you missed is the GPS Navigator made me do it.

As I indicated before when in a different environment proper planning is required.

As for being channelled on to the Tollway, CitiLink (Melb) for many kilometres warn about the last exit before the Tollway.

What about taking responsibility, plan, be aware or your surrounds whilst driving particulalry most of all read the signs that are there to inform.

Popeye · Senior Member

So do you Nomads that have Etags live in the states that have TollWays.I ask that question because when I rang the mob in NSW enquiring about an Etag they tolled me I could not have one.[ Etag] As I was from interstate. { S.A.} but I was welcome to go online and register for a month with my VISA card. So I did this & all there tolls showed up on my statements. But alas no Etag.

jan-ed · Veteran Member

When we applied for our Etag from GoVia (Qld) about 18 months ago, i had the option of paying a small extra fee, so instead of having the actual Etag in the car, they would process my journey through video. (i opted for that system as we had no address for them to send me the tag)

Now that has worked really well until i rang GoVia 3 days ago to add our new caravan onto our account and was told by a lady that the video system would not be guaranteed for all
states of Australia......so go figure that one!!!!!

Different stories again each time i ring the department!!!

Cupie · Guru

Ron and Shirley wrote:

Another invalid excuse for ending up on a Tollway you missed is the GPS Navigator made me do it.
As I indicated before when in a different environment proper planning is required.
As for being channelled on to the Tollway, CitiLink (Melb) for many kilometres warn about the last exit before the Tollway.
What about taking responsibility, plan, be aware or your surrounds whilst driving particulalry most of all read the signs that are there to inform.

Gee you're tough!

Clyde Camel · Veteran Member

pauline wrote:
I think they all work the same way CG, you don't get bills it is up to you to ring them and pay it by credit card not sure about Eftpos if you don't have a etag, usually there are signs up with the phone number you have to ring and from memory I think you have 3 days. That is how it works in Qld and I think it is run by the same mob all over Austalia as our etag works anywhere. Someone else might know if this is wrong but boy this sure is a great money making scheme.

Yes, the toll tags all work everywhere, but each state has its own tolling company and sometimes there are several companies as in Sydney. The Governments of each state got together to standardise the tags and they collect the fees on behalf of the toll companies.

Correct about the 3 days to pay and the phone number displayed on each tollway. Saves paying toll taking staff. Also saves toll taking staff getting run over which used to be a common event in the bad old days on Sydney Harbour.

Regards,
Clyde Camel

PS. If you happen to be carrying 2 toll tags in your car, you will probaby get charged on each of them.

Popeye · Senior Member

My question has still not been answered. Are you people with Etags living in those states that have tolls.

pauline · Guru

I do (Qld )........sorry Popeye it took so long for an answer.

miroku12g · Senior Member

My old dad {82yrs} had a problem with the Gateway Bridge Toll, driving from the Sunshine Coast to the Gold Coast, last time he travelled there it was "pay as you go" 8 months later, no bill / invoice, but an infringment notice for 3 times the toll fee, went to see his Local Member, & was reduced to the original toll cost, he dosn't have a computer, GPS, Navman, drove the same route so many times before over the years, he thought he had "PROPER PLANNING" Ron and Shirley,
and was aware & resposibility was all his!! it seems to me C G just asked a simple question of explanation on how it works, as normal thats not the case with some answers, just a lecture on what we should have done !!

Cheers
Miroku12g

Happywanderer · The Master

Popeye. why would you have an etag if you didn't live in a state with tolls?
By the way, I don't have an etag as never likely to live anywhere near the toll roads.

Popeye · Senior Member

Marj as I travel in states that do have them. I for one think it is much better to drive straight across said toll roads then to drive around the back streets to my destinations, with my 25Ft van on the back of my tug.