When Will Brisbane Toll Roads Become Free?
Brisbane motorists often ask a straightforward question:
When will the tolls finally end?
The honest answer is that no confirmed date has been announced for Brisbane’s toll roads to become free.
The current concessions are scheduled to end between 2051 and 2065. However, a concession end date is not a government promise that the road will become toll-free.
The earliest currently reported expiry is Clem7 in August 2051. Legacy Way has the latest date, in June 2065.
What happens after each concession ends will depend on future government decisions, the relevant agreement and any changes made before the expiry date.
Brisbane toll-road concession end dates
The currently reported dates are:
Clem7August 2051
Gateway Motorway December 2051
Logan Motorway December 2051
AirportlinkM7July 2053
Go Between Bridge December 2063
Legacy Way June 2065
These are concession end dates. They should not be described as guaranteed toll-removal dates.
Which Brisbane toll road is scheduled to reach the end first?
Clem7 has the earliest currently reported concession expiry, in August 2051.
The Gateway and Logan motorways follow in December 2051.
This means that, under the present arrangements, Brisbane motorists could still be paying tolls on every current concession road for approximately another 25 years.
Some roads have arrangements extending almost 40 years from today.
Will Clem7 become free in August 2051?
Not necessarily.
August 2051 is the scheduled end of the current Clem7 concession. It marks the point at which the present contractual tolling and operating rights are due to end.
Before that date, several things could happen:
the government could allow the concession to expire
a different operator could be appointed
the road could return to direct public operation
a new tolling arrangement could be introduced
the existing agreement could be amended or extended
the government could decide to remove the toll
No current public commitment guarantees that Clem7 will become free in August 2051.
When will the Gateway Motorway toll end?
The current Gateway Motorway concession ends in December 2051.
The Gateway Motorway includes the Sir Leo Hielscher Bridges, which many Brisbane motorists still call the Gateway Bridge.
December 2051 is the current concession expiry. It is not a confirmed date for free travel.
Under the existing arrangement, Transurban Queensland operates the Gateway Motorway through a long-term Road Franchise Agreement with the State of Queensland.
Read our guide to Gateway Motorway tolls and fines.
When will the Logan Motorway toll end?
The Logan Motorway’s current concession also ends in December 2051.
Like the Gateway Motorway, it is operated by Transurban Queensland under the Road Franchise Agreement with the State.
The current expiry does not guarantee that tolling will disappear in 2051. That would require a future decision about what happens after the concession.
Read our guide to Logan Motorway tolls and fines.
When will the AirportlinkM7 toll end?
AirportlinkM7’s current concession ends in July 2053.
Transurban Queensland acquired the tunnel business in 2016.
Unless the agreement changes or the government takes earlier action, the present concession arrangements allow tolling rights to continue until 2053.
There is no confirmed announcement that AirportlinkM7 will become free when the current concession expires.
When will the Go Between Bridge toll end?
The Go Between Bridge concession ends in December 2063.
The bridge operates under a long-term agreement connected with Brisbane City Council.
A child born in 2026 would be around 37 years old when the current concession reaches its scheduled end.
That gives some perspective on how long these arrangements reach into the future.
When will the Legacy Way toll end?
Legacy Way has the latest current expiry date of Brisbane’s six concession toll roads.
Its concession ends in June 2065.
A Brisbane motorist who is 30 years old in 2026 would be approaching 70 by the time the current arrangement expires.
Again, expiry does not automatically mean free travel.
What is a toll-road concession?
A toll-road concession is a contractual arrangement giving an organisation certain rights and responsibilities for a defined period.
Depending on the particular agreement, those rights and responsibilities may include:
operating the road
maintaining the infrastructure
collecting toll revenue
setting tolls under an agreed formula
managing incidents and safety systems
completing upgrades
meeting performance requirements
The physical road, the underlying public asset, the operating business and the right to collect tolls are not always owned or controlled by the same organisation.
That is why the question “Who owns the road?” can have more than one answer.
Read our full explanation of who owns Linkt and Queensland’s toll roads.
Does a concession end date mean the toll must disappear?
No.
It means the current concession is scheduled to end.
The agreement may require assets or operating rights to return to a government body, but the future government can still make decisions about:
continued tolling
a new operating contract
road maintenance funding
major upgrades
traffic management
a replacement concession
whether toll revenue will continue to be collected
A concession expiry creates a decision point. It does not provide motorists with an automatic legal promise of toll-free travel.
Could the Queensland Government remove tolls earlier?
A government can propose changes to tolling policy, but existing contracts and legal rights would need to be addressed.
Removing tolls before a concession expires could involve:
negotiating with the concession holder
purchasing or restructuring tolling rights
compensating affected parties
changing legislation
finding another source of road funding
accepting the loss of future toll revenue
The cost and legal consequences would depend on the exact agreement and the proposed change.
This does not mean earlier reform is impossible. It means that meaningful reform requires more than a public announcement.
The government would need a funded plan and a clear approach to the existing contracts.
Has the Gateway Bridge already been paid off?
This question is understandable, but the present toll is not simply a repayment schedule that automatically ends when one construction bill reaches zero.
The Gateway network has been expanded, duplicated, maintained and placed within long-term franchise arrangements.
The current legal basis for tolling depends on legislation and contractual rights, not a simple calculation of whether motorists have collectively paid more than the original construction cost.
That does not settle the public-policy argument.
Motorists can still reasonably ask:
how much has been collected
how the toll formula was chosen
why the concession continues until 2051
what revenue is used for
whether the public receives fair value
whether an essential transport route should remain tolled
what will happen when the current agreement ends
“Has it been paid off?” may not be the complete legal question, but it reflects a real concern about whether tolling has moved beyond recovering the cost of a particular piece of infrastructure.
Why do tolls continue after construction is finished?
Toll operators and governments generally point to continuing costs such as:
operation and maintenance
incident response
safety systems
debt and financing
upgrades and additional works
contractual obligations
investor returns
administration and toll collection
Critics raise a different concern.
Once tolling rights continue for decades and prices rise under contractual formulas, the charge can become a long-term revenue system rather than a temporary way to fund construction.
That is the argument Australians should be able to examine through transparent agreements and clear public reporting.
Why are the dates so far away?
Major toll-road agreements often run for decades because they are built around long-term financing, projected traffic, maintenance responsibilities and expected revenue.
In Brisbane, the present expiry dates stretch from 2051 to 2065.
The length of these arrangements matters because decisions made years earlier continue affecting:
present-day toll prices
future commuters
government flexibility
public control of infrastructure
how road upgrades are funded
the bargaining position of future governments
A long concession may provide certainty for the operator and its investors. It can also restrict the choices available to governments and motorists for many years.
Will toll prices keep increasing until the concessions end?
Under current arrangements, Brisbane toll prices are adjusted according to the applicable tolling rules.
Most Brisbane toll prices are adjusted on 1 July in line with annual Brisbane Consumer Price Index movements. AirportlinkM7 is adjusted on 1 January.
The exact toll paid also depends on:
the road and toll point
vehicle class
time of travel in some circumstances
whether a valid tag is detected
video-matching charges
invoice and administration fees
A long concession does not lock the toll at today’s price.
Read our guide to current Queensland toll prices.
Are Brisbane toll roads privately owned?
The answer requires some care.
Transurban Queensland operates Brisbane’s six concession toll roads and holds the relevant concession interests. Transurban has a 62.5% economic interest in the business, alongside AustralianSuper and Platinum Tawreed Investments.
The State of Queensland or Brisbane City Council remains involved through public-asset arrangements, legislation and concession agreements.
Linkt is the customer-facing toll-payment brand.
Calling the roads entirely public or entirely private can hide the real structure. Public infrastructure, private concession rights, operating responsibilities and toll collection exist together.
That mixed structure is exactly why clear public information matters.
What happens if a road becomes toll-free?
If a future government removes a toll, the road does not become free to operate.
Funding would still be required for:
maintenance
repairs
resurfacing
tunnels and ventilation
lighting
incident response
safety monitoring
future upgrades
staffing and administration
The cost may be funded through general taxation, government transport budgets, another road-user charge or a different model.
The real policy question is not whether roads cost money.
It is who should pay, how much they should pay, how transparent the charge should be and whether the system distributes the burden fairly.
What should happen when the concessions expire?
Robin Hood Tech believes governments should make the future of each road clear well before the concession ends.
At a minimum, the public should receive:
the full range of options being considered
an explanation of any proposed continued tolling
the financial case for each option
disclosure of any proposed extension
the expected maintenance and upgrade costs
a clear account of who would receive future toll revenue
public consultation before any new long-term commitment
an explanation of how workers, families and small businesses would be affected
A replacement arrangement should not be quietly established shortly before expiry.
Future motorists should not inherit another multi-decade tolling agreement without proper scrutiny.
Could tolls be reduced before they are removed?
Yes. Toll reform does not have to begin with the immediate removal of every toll.
Governments could examine measures such as:
lower tolls for frequent local users
weekly or monthly caps
stronger hardship protections
lower administration fees
simpler notices and dispute processes
commercial-vehicle relief
transparent reviews of toll formulas
public reporting of revenue and contract performance
preventing enforcement costs from becoming disproportionate to the original toll
using broader transport funding for essential motorway links
Each option carries costs and trade-offs, but those costs can be measured and debated.
The current system should not be treated as untouchable merely because the contracts are long.
Why Robin Hood Tech is asking these questions
For many Brisbane residents, toll roads are not an occasional luxury.
They are part of getting to work, running a business, transporting children and moving between areas divided by rivers, motorways and congestion.
A few dollars per trip can become thousands of dollars over a year.
When someone falls behind, additional fees and enforcement can make the burden much larger than the original road charge.
The public deserves to know:
why the toll continues
who receives the money
when the current rights end
whether the arrangement can be changed
what happens after expiry
whether future governments intend to keep charging
These are basic accountability questions about essential infrastructure.
Frequently asked questions
What is the first Brisbane toll-road concession to expire?
Clem7, in August 2051.
Will Clem7 definitely become free in 2051?
No.
The current concession ends in August 2051, but no confirmed commitment guarantees toll-free travel after that date.
When will the Gateway Bridge become free?
No confirmed toll-free date has been announced.
The current Gateway Motorway concession ends in December 2051.
When will the Logan Motorway become free?
There is no confirmed date.
The present Logan Motorway concession expires in December 2051.
Which Brisbane toll road has the longest concession?
Legacy Way. Its current concession runs until June 2065.
Can the concessions be extended?
Future governments and contracting parties may propose amendments, extensions or replacement arrangements, subject to the law and the relevant agreements.
Any proposed extension should be publicly disclosed and scrutinised.
Does Linkt decide when a Brisbane toll road becomes free?
No.
Linkt is Transurban’s customer-facing toll-payment brand. The future of each road depends on the government, the concession holder, legislation and the relevant agreement.
Will toll prices remain the same until expiry?
No.
Current tolling arrangements provide for periodic price adjustments.
Are the concession dates guaranteed never to change?
No.
Agreements, legislation and government policy can change. The dates listed on this page are the currently reported expiry dates.
Support fairer toll-road reform
Robin Hood Tech believes Brisbane motorists deserve a clear answer about what happens when these long concessions finally end.
If tolling is to continue beyond 2051, governments should explain why, who benefits and what alternatives were properly considered.
You can support Robin Hood Tech’s public-interest work.
You can also sign Queensland Parliamentary Petition 4586-26 before 23 December 2026.
Your support helps us research toll agreements, publish free information and push for greater transparency and fairer treatment of motorists.
Return to our Australian toll roads, fines and reform guide for the complete collection of toll information, legal developments and reform work.
Related reading
Official sources
Disclaimer
This page provides general public information about current toll-road concession dates and arrangements. It is not legal, financial or investment advice.
A concession expiry is not a guaranteed toll-removal date. Agreements, legislation, company interests and government policies may change.
Check current government records, company reporting and the relevant concession agreement before relying on a date for legal, financial or commercial purposes.
Information reviewed on 26 September 2026.