MC & SCOOTER TOLLS IN VICTORIA

Until Eastlink tolled riders a few years ago Victoria had been the toll free state where motorcycles & scooters were concerned. When Eastlink proposed bike tolls the response from people claiming to represent road riders bowed down saying that riders would pay their way like everyone else. WRONG! Riders already more than paid their way.

http://citylink.com.au/motorcycles.htm

http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/motorbikes-free-citylink-ride-to-end-20131015-2vk39.html#ixzz2hpOgGCXd

The same representatives agreed with the TAC tax by wanting a say in how it was spent. But that's another, ongoing story.

The original MRA was a people power organisation that put what was good for the riding community in general and its' members specifically, before what suited car drivers.  No other Australian state or territory achieved as much for riders as Victoria did through the original MRA. The original MRA was killed off last April.

The right to travel free of tolls on our roads was won by the original MRA with the West Gate Bridge protest in the early 1980s. It was a win like free, unlimited footpath parking for motorcycles and scooters in Victoria in the mid 1980s. More than 8000 bikes took up car bays throughout Melbourne. The Parliament took that as the action of a serious voting block. Parking law changed.

Now other toll road companies plan to charge Victorian riders tolls in 2014. Those claiming to represent you and me said on the radio and in the press that tolls for bikes are OK. It was always going to happen as technology caught up. We are happy with a user-pays system. Rot!

I'm not happy with paying road tolls of any sort and I don't know any real rider who is happy to be charged a fee for riding anywhere.

The original MRA was killed off earlier in 2013.

Now we have bike tolls.

We still have the TAC tax rip off.

What's next? More restrictions on footpath parking for motorcycles & scooters?

Damien Codognotto OAM

Independent Riders' Group

Melbourne