The Minister for Financial Services & Regulation has asked the ACCC to examine the competition implications of the NSW State Government forcing Sydney road users to use the Eastern Distributor by reducing access to free roads.
This follows significant media interest in the alternative road access associated with the new Sydney Eastern Distributor and has culminated in today's front page report in the Sydney Telegraph newspaper.
Mr Hockey said, "The public has a right to have this matter looked at by the federal competition watchdog and to know that road-users are not suffering under uncompetitive practices to the benefit of the private sector tollway operator.
"By reducing Crown Street from four lanes to one, non-tollway trafic has been forced to a standstill and queues back to Cleveland Street are forcing some drivers to take the Eastern Distributor at a cost of $3 per trip when travelling north."
"Private sector funded and operated infrastructure is a useful and efficient means of providing community infrastructure, but by treating the public with contempt in this manner, tollways will be given a bad name by the NSW State Government."
"No wonder Bob Carr thinks the world is coming to an end due to over-population and species extinction, when his Government is deliberately creating traffic jams and exhaust build up in Redfern, Alexandria, Paddington and Darlinghurst."