Transurban to repay drivers overcharged on Melbourne tollways

Transurban says motorists overcharged on Melbourne tollways will be repaid automatically after the company found some vehicles were incorrectly classified in its system.

The error affects trips on CityLink and the West Gate Tunnel, both operated through Transurban's Linkt brand. Customers do not need to contact the company. Linkt will reach out directly to people identified as having been overcharged.

According to ABC-reported figures, about 90,000 vehicles may have been incorrectly classified across roughly 1.4 million trips. Transurban said affected customers will receive refunds or toll credits covering the overcharged amount, along with recognition for the inconvenience.

The company apologised for the mistake and said it was working to fix its classification processes. Herald Sun reported that the repayments will be issued automatically, without customers needing to lodge a claim.

What Transurban says happened

Transurban said the problem came from a classification error in its tolling system, which meant some motorists were charged incorrectly. The company did not say in the material reviewed how long the issue had been running before it was detected.

The repayment issue spans two of Melbourne's major toll routes. CityLink and the West Gate Tunnel are both part of Transurban's tolling network and are central to traffic movement across the city.

The company said it would contact affected customers by email or letter. Drivers do not need to take any action to trigger the repayment process.

How large the issue may be

ABC reported that the company had identified about 90,000 vehicles that may have been incorrectly classified to some degree, covering about 1.4 million trips. That figure gives a sense of the scale of the review and the number of journeys that may need to be corrected.

Transurban has said the remedy will be automatic. Depending on the case, motorists will get either a refund or a toll credit.

Herald Sun reported that the company also said it would recognise the inconvenience caused to affected customers. The statement suggests the response is not limited to a simple reversal of the overcharge.

Another tolling problem in 2026

This is the second major tolling error reported in 2026 on Melbourne's West Gate Tunnel network. The new road opened in December 2025 and has already faced scrutiny over its charging setup.

In January, a separate tolling issue was reported involving incorrect vehicle classifications, including some cars charged at heavy-vehicle rates and some trucks charged twice across the West Gate Tunnel and CityLink.

That chronology is likely to keep pressure on Transurban and its Linkt brand to show that vehicle classification controls have been tightened. The repeated errors also raise broader questions about reliability in the tolling systems used on major Melbourne roads.

What happens next

The immediate next step is for Transurban to complete the automatic refunds or toll credits for affected motorists. The company will also need to continue working on its classification processes to reduce the risk of repeat mistakes.

For drivers, the main message is that no claim is needed. Anyone identified as affected should hear from Linkt directly.

The story also leaves open several questions, including how long the classification problem persisted before it was detected and whether regulators or government agencies will respond to the repeated tolling failures.