Illawarra Labor MPs Ryan Park and Paul Scully have hit out at the Berejikilan Government’s plans to hold Illawarra motorists to ransom for the proposed construction of the F6 ‘tollway’.

The Government announced yesterday that the F6 extension would proceed but only after it imposed hefty tolls.

Drivers will pay an estimated $1.77 each way for cars to use the new section, but that rises to around $4.53 when they continue along WestConnex.

Mr Park and Mr Scully said Illawarra motorists would be held to ransom by the Government and slapped with tolls to help make the WestConnex project stack up.

Leaked documents revealed late last year showed that the Government had forbidden transport planners from even considering improving the Wollongong-Sydney rail corridor as a comparison to the cost of extending the F6 motorway.

The Carr Labor Government removed the $1 toll from the M1 Motorway (F6 Freeway) on 30 July 1995.

Mr Park and Mr Scully believe that the $2.6 billion proposed for the tunnel would be better directed to investments in improving rail infrastructure.

Comments attributable to Ryan Park MP:

“Illawarra motorists will be slapped with tolls, tolls, tolls with this extension of the F6.

“It’s a scandal that the Berejiklian Government intends to hold Illawarra motorists to ransom just so it can made the WestConnex project look better on paper.

“We’ll be focusing on improving the rail corridor between Wollongong and Central before prioritising yet another tollway.”

Comments attributable to Paul Scully MP:

“The Government’s plans certainly won’t mean the F6 extension will be a ‘freeway’ as we have been led to believe by the proponents of this project.

“The proposed tunnel is nothing more than a WestConnex extension, not an extension to the F6, which ends more than 20kms away at Waterfall.

“The last Labor Government abolished tolls on the F6 while this Liberal Government will slap it back on.”