Road to tolling

Well, this one's disappointing. 

I'm used to hearing that we can't have road tolling on important routes because there aren't alternatives for commuters. I think that's nuts, but the argument goes that there has to be alternative transport paths to address equity issues for those who cannot afford the tolls. It's nuts because we allow pricing everywhere else, and try to solve equity issues through income redistribution. The toll can shift driving by time of day even if there aren't alternative routes.

But let's take it as given.

Here's the argument against having tolling on the coming Transmission Gully alternative to State Highway 1:

Transport Agency Director Emma Speight said an assessment showed a toll would likely see more drivers avoid the road in favour of the current coastal State Highway 1.

"That would compromise the safety, environmental and access benefits which the new road will deliver to drivers as well as for communities along the coastal route."

So we can't have a toll on a road if there aren't alternatives to the toll road, but we also cannot have tolls when there is an alternative to the toll road.