go via
|
Going Your Way | |
| Public | |
| Industry | Transport |
| Founded | 2009 |
| Headquarters | Brisbane, Australia |
Area served | Queensland |
| Parent | Transurban |
| Website |
www |
The go via network is a 70 kilometre integrated network of tolled roads, bridges and tunnels across the greater Brisbane area. go via has one million tolling accounts and more than 1.8 million go via tags in use as of 2013.[1]
The go via network enables motorists to bypass CBD traffic and use of three Brisbane motorways; the Bruce Highway in the north, the Pacific Motorway to the south and the Ipswich Motorway to the west.
go via is the toll payment system introduced by Queensland Motorways as a part of free-flow tolling. It replaced the previous E Toll system in Queensland.[2] The new system was introduced on 1 July 2009 and the pay-on-the-spot option was phased out on 22 July 2009, meaning cash was no longer a payment option, and stopping was no longer required. As drivers are no longer able to pay with cash, they need to choose one of the new methods of paying Queensland's toll roads, including go viatags, go viavideo, go viabusiness (for ongoing toll payment), and go viavideo passes for one-off trips.
Bob Jarvis has contested the legitimacy of the electronic tolling method, and has successfully traveled freely through all toll-points for years without submitting to Go Via. He gained some notoriety in 2014 when he was interviewed in regard to how easily he overcame what many have called "the biggest road toll scam in the world". [3]
go via network assets
The go via network comprises the Gateway Motorway, including the Sir Leo Hielscher (formerly Gateway) Bridges, the Logan Motorway, the Clem Jones Tunnel (Clem7)[4] and Go Between Bridge.[5] Since 2015, Legacy Way connects motorists from the Western Freeway to the Inner City Bypass in four minutes.
The network totals 70 km of roads. Around 300,000 tolled transactions are made across the go via network every day. The network provides a connection for the port and airport precincts and commuters to the north, south, east and west of Brisbane. The Go Between Bridge and Clem7 are inner-city cross-river connections to several destinations, while the motorways feature no-stopping electronic toll points located at Murarrie, Kuraby, Loganlea, Heathwood, Larapinta and the Clem7 and Go Between Bridge.
Tolling types
go viatags
go viatags are installed inside of a vehicle's windscreen. As a vehicle travels under the toll point the tag will beep and the toll is deducted from the account.[6] Customers have the choice of configuring their account to automatically top up or to manually top-up their account.[6]
go viavideo
go viavideo is a type of video tolling. Users do not need a tag fitted to their vehicle: instead, as they pass under a toll point, a photo is taken of the registration plate and matched to their go viavideo account.[7] There is a small additional "video matching" fee for this service.[7]
Like the go viatag, users can use their account on all toll roads in Australia.[7] Users possess an account on the go via website which works the same as the go viatag account. Users can also top up manually, or they can choose the automatic top up option.[8])
go viabusiness
Businesses can choose to either have a go viatag account or a go viavideo account, with a required minimum spending per month.[9]
go viavideo passes
go viavideo passes are designed for drivers who only use toll roads occasionally or for those who want to pay for a one-off trip. Users can choose an amount, and when they drive through a toll point the pass will act the same as a go viavideo account.[10]
go viaroad passes
go viaroad passes work on all toll roads in Queensland including the Clem Jones Tunnel, Airport Link and the Go Between Bridge.[11]
go via pre-paid cash passes
go via offers two types of pre-paid passes: a trip pass only valid for cars (class 2) traveling on the Gateway and Logan motorways; and a toll credit pass. The toll credit pass is available in three pre-set amounts of $10, $20 and $50 and can be used for travel on the Go Between Bridge, the Gateway, Gateway Extension and Logan motorways only.[12] Pre-paid passes are valid for up to 90 days and can be paid for using cash at participating go via retailers.
Criticisms and Controversies
According to the Sunshine Coast Daily, an online petition to protest road toll company go via's "unexplainable fees and charges" has gained thousands of supporters in days, many from the Sunshine Coast.[13]
See also
References
- ↑ "Home - go via network" (PDF). Qldmotorways.com.au. Retrieved 2015-03-30.
- ↑ Need help? One page approach. Queensland Motorways. Retrieved on 17 October 2012.
- ↑ Bob Jarvis hasn't paid road tolls in three years The Daily Mail. Retrieved 27 October 2015
- ↑ "Queensland Motorways further expands its toll road network". www.govia.com.au. Queensland Motorways. Retrieved 16 January 2015.
- ↑ "go via network map" (PDF). www.queenslandmotorways.com.au. Retrieved 16 January 2015.
- 1 2 "Go viatag". Govia.com.au. Retrieved 2015-03-30.
- 1 2 3 go viavideo account. Queensland Motorways. Retrieved on 17 October 2012.
- ↑ Automatic top-up. Queensland Motorways. Retrieved on 17 October 2012.
- ↑ go viabusiness. Queensland Motorways. Retrieved on 17 October 2012.
- ↑ "Go viavideo pass". Govia.com.au. Retrieved 2015-03-30.
- ↑ go viaroad pass launched. Queensland Motorways. Retrieved on 17 October 2012.
- ↑ "Go viavideo passes". Govia.com.au. Retrieved 2015-03-30.
- ↑ "Online toll protest gains thousands of supporters". Sunshine Coast Daily. Sunshine Coast. 2015-02-13. Retrieved 2015-06-09.