Much of the public debate about the CCT concerns the traffic arrangements from the eastern suburbs to City North, and particularly accessing the Harbour crossings. The RTA and CCM did not identify the risks of imposing a toll on motorists who already had a free route they considered adequate.
As Exhibits 4.6 and 4.8 show, a number of the alternative non-toll routes were removed as the project progressed.
Before the CCT opened, motorists coming down William Street had up to six alternative access routes to the Domain Tunnel and Harbour crossings.
Currently these motorists have one only access, other than the CCT, using Cowper Wharf Roadway. Those coming from William Street have to take an indirect 'rat run' (as shown in Exhibit 4.6).
It goes via Riley, Crown, Cathedral and Bourke Streets. When they get to Cowper Wharf Roadway, they now have only a single lane for the right turn to the Harbour crossings. We do not consider that this is a reasonable toll-free alternative to using the CCT.