SYDNEY—The Sydney Harbour Bridge will lose half of its coin payment booths within two months, in another step towards making it a cashless tollway.
NSW Roads Minister Eric Roozendaal today announced five booths where coins can be used will be switched to electronic tolling only - meaning motorists must have an E-tag in their vehicle.
"The move to cashless tolling means no more queuing at toll booths as motorists search their pockets and ashtrays for coins," Mr Roozendaal said in a statement today.
"The Iemma Government is committed to taking the Sydney Harbour Bridge fully cashless, but we won't set a final date until we are confident E-tag usage has increased."
One toll booth which accepted both coins and electronic tolling will be switched to E-tag only this afternoon, Mr Roozendaal said.
Another four coin payment booths, two at either end of the bridge, will be converted to E-tag only in July.
Mr Roozendaal said the move to a cashless tollway would improve traffic flow.
And, he said, a trial of new short-term E-tags would get underway from May 27 in a bid to improve E-tag usage rates.
"Starting the process of taking the Sydney Harbour Bridge cashless reflects the growth in E-tag use on the Bridge - around 86 per cent of toll payments are now made electronically during the peak," he said.
"This is up from 83 per cent nine months ago."
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