M1 TOLL CHANGES AHEAD FOR HEAVY VEHICLES

Container transport operators are getting ready for a hit to their bottom line, with new heavy vehicle tolls coming to Melbourne’s M1 corridor once the West Gate Tunnel opens in December.

A new Transurban tolling point will be set up for heavy vehicles east of Millers Road, meaning trucks will be charged in both directions — whether they’re using the West Gate Tunnel, the West Gate Bridge, or the new Hyde Street ramps.

At the same time, the Victorian Government plans to roll out No Truck Zones on several inner-west roads, including:

• Francis Street and Somerville Road in Yarraville
• Buckley Street and Moore Street in Footscray
• Blackshaws Road in Altona North
• Hudsons Road in Spotswood

With these restrictions in place, most heavy vehicles will be forced onto the M1 as the only permitted east–west route. Trucks heading to and from the Port of Melbourne will also rely more heavily on Williamstown Road and Millers Road to access industrial areas like Tottenham and Brooklyn.

According to Container Transport Alliance Australia (CTAA), these changes could push up the cost of container transport by around 13% to as much as 30%, compared with the current market-driven base container road cartage rates.

Notice of a start date has not been given by the Government and Transurban as yet, but CTAA’s best guess is Sunday, 14 December 2025 and in the meantime operators will need to update their customers and adjust their pricing in time.

The Alliance is also urging the Department of Transport & Planning (DTP) to take a close look at the freight network and fix any road issues that could stop operators from safely accessing the upgraded M1 and tunnel routes with full loads.

The team at Clarke Global Logistics will keep an eye on the latest updates and share more information as soon as the opening date and tolls are confirmed.  

Thank you for your understanding and continued support while these infrastructure changes taken effect.