E-way "human error" costs beep tag users AU$100

A changeover error transferring beep tag customer accounts to E-way systems has caused some people, who thought they had closed their toll accounts, to be falsely charged AU$100.

Last year, Sydney's Cross City Tunnel changed hands and its new managers sold the related tag business to Interlink Roads, which owns E-way, and required Beep Solutions' customer files to be transferred to their new owner. The transfer started at the end of June 2008.

During the changeover, around 100 to 150 customers were assigned a "Code 50", which describes them as an account on hold, instead of a closed account, which is "Code 70".

"[Code] 50 is technically still open," a spokesperson for Interlink Roads said. "It means the person has run out of money in their account."

When that is the case, Interlink charges AU$100 dollars to a nominated bank account so the user can continue to pay their toll when they drive on the tag roads.

The company has been finding and reimbursing those falsely charged, according to an Interlink Roads spokesperson. "They're busy trying to rectify it."

The company blamed "human error" for the mistake but would not disclose further details.

The transfer from Beep Solutions is now complete and the "problem's not going to spread to larger numbers", according to the spokesperson, who pointed out that from Interlink's 300,000 accounts, less than 0.1 per cent of customers were affected.

E-way tags can be used in NSW for the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Tunnel as well as for the city's Eastern Distributor, M4, M5, M2, Cross City Tunnel, Westlink M7 and Lane Cove Tunnel. They also work on Queensland's Logan and Gateway Motorways, and in Victoria on Melbourne's Citylink.