I've received a stack of correspondence in relation to the Harbour Bridge becoming cashless. And perhaps to some this is no big issue.
But to a minority, and they are entitled to a viewpoint and they're entitled not to be marginalised, becoming cashless is a big issue.
Well, Brian wrote to me and summed up many of the views that have been expressed.
Amongst other things he said, "Looking at the number of vehicles which use the Bridge and motorways with tags, I cannot comprehend how so many people give large organisations access to their accounts to withdraw any amount of money from them as they see fit.
"Do they go along like sheep, thinking 'If I don't accept the conditions I don't get a tag'?
"Well," Brian says, "I won't accept the conditions and therefore won't get a tag.
"What," he asks, "are the alternatives?
"Use the Gladesville Bridge."
He says, "I don't have a computer so I can't e-mail. I don't SMS. I don't use ATMs. I don't Netbank.
"But I'm getting dragged, screaming, into the technology era.
"I'm sure I'm not the only one.
"Just let me pay each time I go over the Bridge."
Brian writes, "I base my objections on the following:
"The Bradfield Highway, the Harbour Bridge is a public road and should be accessible to all the public, not just the ones who have tags.
"When the Harbour tunnel became cashless there was the alternative of the Harbour Bridge. But if the Bridge became cashless there's no alternative other than to travel extra kilometres, with the way petrol prices are today, over the Gladesville Bridge."
He writes, "I'm led to believe all the other toll roads are privately owned. So if they, too, become cashless, which is the inference I get from the new Premier's statement, then alternative roads should run parallel to these toll roads, and they shouldn't involve any extra mileage for the motorist".
Brian makes the point that when he travelled without a tag, he was nabbed by the RTA, wrote a cheque but the RTA "lost the cheque".
He says "As an organisation who could not even secure an cheque, how could I in all honesty give them access to my accounts?
He says "My conversations with the toll collectors have given me the impression that they're not happy with the situation. They know they'll be out of a job".
But finally, he says, "It's said that making it cashless will speed up the flow.
"How can this happen," he says, "when you have a maximum of five lanes heading south, yet there are only three lanes to the Western Distributor and one lane, not counting the bus lane, going to York Street.
"My mathematics seem to establish that one lane can still have a cash booth without hindering traffic.
"Leave one booth," he pleads, "on the Bridge for PAYG, pay as you go drivers".
Well I happen to believe that Brian has a more than valid point.
