• Public Acceptance of Tolling. CityLink is Melbourne's first privately owned toll road. Prior to CityLink, the Government-owned West Gate Bridge was tolled. However, the toll charges were subsequently removed after public pressure.
• Non-Compete Clause. Transurban accepted construction, revenue, and residual risks while the Victorian Government committed to avoid developing or improving potential competing road and public transit links.
• Implementation Problems. PPP arrangements are long term and as such, governments need to be prepared to deal with problems with the operator. A number of operational problems initially plagued this innovative project, including:
- Changes in toll charges;
- Incorrect charging;
- Failure of electronic tag transponders used to pay tolls; and
- Treatment of tag-less toll road users.
All of these problems required various degrees of Government intervention to resolve.
• Revenue Sharing. Road links feeding into toll roads have the potential to provide incumbent toll operators with additional revenue. Clauses within the PPP arrangement provide for a revenue-sharing arrangement between the Victorian State Government and Transurban following any network improvements.