The West Australian Government will spend $67 million imposing a heavy haulage toll that Main Roads does not have the power to collect.

The Government has set aside the money in Main Roads’ budget, saying it will be spent on imposing a heavy-haulage charge for the $1.9 billion Perth Freight Link project.

Truck drivers will be charged for using the proposed route from Roe Highway’s current Kwinana Freeway terminus to a point nearer the Fremantle Port.

Reports say up to $5 million has already been spent, despite the legislation required for Main Roads to impose a toll not having passed State Parliament.

“We are calling on the Government to stop spending this money until they get their legislation passed,” says Opposition transport spokesperson Rita Saffioti said this week.

“They are spending millions of dollars on a project which may not go ahead... this is why we have a massive deficit and record debt.”

Federal and state Labor parties have promised to pull out of the project if they win upcoming elections.

Main Roads commissioner Reece Waldock said money had to be spent on planning immediately.

“Cabinet have asked us to come back to them with a detailed business case on heavy vehicle charges. To do that we need to do a certain amount of information and work to be able to justify why this business case stacks up,” Mr Waldock told a budget estimates hearing.

“The funding we will be spending in the next year or so will very much ... feed into that proposal to go back to Government.”