Sydney Harbour Bridge Toll Scanner Double-Charging Commuters

by jordan | November 15, 2008 at 10:07 am

1395 views | 2 Recommendations | 22 comments

Sydney's commuters have been getting double-charged by the faulty RFID-based toll system that operates on the Harbour Bridge.

This was a big concern when teh Golden Gate Bridge began using the Fastrac system.

A malfunctioning Roads and Traffic Authority e-tag scanner at the northern end of the harbour tunnel entrance is thought to be mistakenly capturing the e-tags of motorists travelling in lane four on the bridge - the lane closest to the tunnel entrance - and charging the tunnel toll to their accounts. They are then charged again by the scanner at the southern end of the bridge.

With about 21,000 vehicles travelling southbound in lane four over the bridge every weekday, the faulty scanner, which was installed on September 14 on overhead northern gantries to improve traffic flow on the approach to the tunnel, may have delivered as much as $4 million extra into the RTA's coffers.

Getting an investigation to happen proved slow going:

"It's a consistent pattern, it keeps happening and the RTA refuses to do anything about it," Mr Raward said. "On Thursday, after many calls and not getting anywhere, I just went off my tree. They tried to tell me I had a faulty e-tag - it's just ridiculous. How many people actually study their statements? This is the first time I've checked mine in seven years."

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Alison Donahue

at 21:09 on November 17th, 2008

Alison Donahue has contributed a photo to this story.

Mark Birchall (not verified)

at 23:40 on November 17th, 2008

Tim van Ruitenbeek

at 23:52 on November 17th, 2008

I made this picture while I took the Sydney tour. They only stopped one moment so I had to take a quick picture, the result was amazing!

Tim van Ruitenbeek has contributed a photo to this story.

The free traveller

at 00:16 on November 18th, 2008

The free traveller has contributed a photo to this story.

junpena

at 00:42 on November 18th, 2008

I took this picture when I visited Taronga Zoo.

junpena has contributed a photo to this story.

kateamann

at 01:47 on November 18th, 2008

kateamann has contributed a photo to this story.

eDmUNdLOu (not verified)

at 02:46 on November 18th, 2008

appreciate it that you credited my name on my pic! ~demund

sepet

at 03:29 on November 18th, 2008

sepet has contributed a photo to this story.

Mark Mitchell Brown

at 04:10 on November 18th, 2008

The Harbour Bridge as seen from near Luna Park on an overcast evening in December 2005. Installation of the Christmas lights had already begun.

Mark Mitchell Brown has contributed a photo to this story.

Albert Frezzotti (not verified)

at 04:24 on November 18th, 2008

©FizzRock (Albert Frezzotti)

noveli77

at 04:29 on November 18th, 2008

Sydney Harbour Bridge seen from The Botanical Gardens, with a tall-ship and a Ferry passing underneath.

noveli77 has contributed a photo to this story.

FizzRock

at 04:47 on November 18th, 2008

©FizzRock (Albert Frezzotti)

Meryl Page

at 06:23 on November 18th, 2008

This shot of Sydney's Harbour Bridge was taken from the Opera House across the cove. No special filters were used. You can see bridge climbers reaching the summit where the flags are at the top of the bridge. I took the photo a couple of hours after climbing the bridge myself. I didn't have any personal experience with the toll scanners on the bridge, since I only walked across it. But the bridge access does reveal some beautiful images of the surrounding harbour area.

Cheers!
Meryl

Meryl Page has contributed a photo to this story.

erremedia

at 07:43 on November 18th, 2008

Sydney´s Opera House and skyline under the Harbour Bridge, shooted from the Luna Park on a bright day in October 2008.

More pictures from this trip to Australia and New Zeland and others:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/27635897@N05/

erremedia has contributed a photo to this story.

ShannonsTravels

at 21:26 on November 18th, 2008

Took this picture from the ferry on my way to the zoo - just backpacking around town so I wasn't actually aware of the toll problem....yikes!

ShannonsTravels has contributed a photo to this story.

Ismail Omar

at 11:14 on November 19th, 2008

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ismailomar/

Ismail Omar has contributed a photo to this story.

Michael P (not verified)

at 21:53 on November 19th, 2008

Possibly my worst Sydney photo.

i have many others on flickr that are much better and nicer.

Why did you ask for that one?

robbiesydney

at 10:00 on November 20th, 2008

The Moon shines through the Sydney Harbour Bridge like a diamond sparkling on a ring..

http://www.flickr.com/photos/robbiesydney/

robbiesydney has contributed a photo to this story.

steve__m

at 13:53 on November 22nd, 2008

Photo was taken from the south end of the bridge. Stitched together in photoshop CS3 hope you like!
---------
canon 400D 18-55

steve__m has contributed a photo to this story.

Lottie Coyle

at 22:44 on November 23rd, 2008

my familyand I were traveling from Parramatta the city when the photo was taken.

Lottie Coyle has contributed a photo to this story.

Susan Gary (not verified)

at 00:04 on November 24th, 2008

thanks for picking my shot for use on your site...I took this shot on my 2 day visit in Sydney..after that we boarded our cruise ship for an 11 day cruise around the great barrier reef...What a gorgeous place Australia is!