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Unlike Sydney’s other toll roads,charges for vehicles using the Sydney Harbour Bridge have not changed since 2009.Credit:Flavio Brancaleone

The review is due to be finalised in September,six months out from a state election set to be dominated by concerns about cost-of-living pressures.

The government document states that tolling arrangements in NSW had evolved on a case-by-case basis,leading to inconsistencies across the network and customer confusion.

“The current arrangements do not reflect a system-wide approach and incorporate many different charging mechanisms,” states the document,released to parliament in response to questions on notice.

That haphazard growth of toll roads across Sydney and their influence on road congestion will also be examined,as well as what effect changes to prices would have on the state budget.

Treasurer Matt Kean said the government wanted to look at all options to address cost of living pressures in Sydney,foreshadowing extra measures in the June budget.

Opposition roads spokesman John Graham said the review was desperately needed.

“Before the government invests in new tollways or announces new tolls,they should release this review,” he said.

“The review shouldn’t just speak to toll road insiders. It should include consultation with industry and the toll-paying public.”

Government documents suggest aspects of the review were due to be finalised by March,but were later extended by six months to September.

The aims of the review,which will be conducted by senior officials from Treasury and Transport for NSW,include achieving consistency and equity in toll pricing,meeting emission reduction targets and improving traffic congestion.

The government is set to make a decision within months about whether to extend tolls on the Sydney Harbour Tunnel when existing arrangements expire at the end of August.

The government is expected to tackle the tolling issue in a two-stage approach,according to a senior source with knowledge of the plan.

The source said the “immediate political challenges” would likely be addressed within months,while a longer-term strategy would be used to tackle structural issues with the tolling regime.

Premier Dominic Perrottet has committed to reform Sydney’s patchwork tolling regime before the state election next March,as the opposition sharpens its focus on cost of living pressures.

Despite the government’s commitment to reform,last year the-then transport and roads minister Andrew Constancewarned any changes to toll agreements would “trigger very,very significant claims against the taxpayer” from Transurban.

Transurban will control 13 of Sydney’s 15 toll roads by the time the last stage of the nation’s biggest road project,WestConnex,opens next year.

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