Thank you to all those writing in about billing errors for motorcycles on CityLink. The Motorcycle Riders Association of Victoria wrote to TransUrban to clarify the status of motorcycle tolls for CityLink as follows;

The Motorcycle Riders Association of Victoria are a motorcycle lobby Association that represents riders rights and looks into laws and road rules that effect motorcycles in Victoria.

We have been contacted by a few MRAV members that have been billed on their Eastlink accounts for using City-link in areas around the Moreland road and other toll gantry sections, these motorcyclists were billed the same fee as cars.

After our members checked their accounts, the error was corrected, after an inquiry phone call to East-link and indeed, East-link promptly refunded the money back into the accounts in question.

Our concern is that this may be a precursor to motorcycle tolls on City-Link. Are you intending to toll motorcycles on City-link in the near future?

If not then what assurances can you make that motorcyclists will not be charged in the near future?

Thank you for your time, and look forward to your reply.

Reply from

Customer Care
CityLink Melbourne Limited
Ph: 13 26 29 (24 hrs - 7 days)
assist@citylink.com.au
www.citylink.com.au

Thank you for your enquiry regarding the tolling of motorcycles.

We confirm motorcycles can currently travel on CityLink free of charge. An e-TAG® device or CityLink Pass is not required.

CityLink would like to advise that a decision on whether to change its current practice of not tolling motorcycles is yet to be made. CityLink does have and always has had the right to toll motorcycles under its Concession Deed. Toll prices for motorcycles are approved by the State Government on a regular basis.

The rate at which motorcycles can be tolled was determined as fair and reasonable by the State Government when negotiating the CityLink contract.

Upgrades in CityLink’s on-road tolling technology are expected to improve the efficiency of video tolling, through image capturing of rear number plates. Extensive testing of the technology once it is activated will be required before any decision on tolling motorcycles will be made.

CityLink will continue to liaise with motorcyclist groups throughout this process.

Please contact us if you have any further queries.

A further follow up was received from;

Gerald Fernandez
Resolution Adviser
Customer Resolutions

Thank you for your recent enquiry, we appreciate you taking the time to advise us of your concerns.

We are pleased to advise CityLink has no intention of tolling motorcycles in the near future. The incorrect charging of your members occurred simply because of an error in the files between CityLink and EastLink. The error has now been fixed. If, at some stage, CityLink decides to introduce a toll on motorcycles, it will honour its commitment to give the MRAV at least four months notice.

Thank you for the opportunity to respond.

As per the statement above, the MRAV will be forewarned. The first reply does make it clear that at some point (maybe after the election) this may occur. The State Government allowed for this in their contract as they did with ConnectEast so perhaps motorcyclists should to begin to let the in-coming Government know how they feel about it.