Highway 407 offering free rush-hour access, but only to 'some' customers

Highway 407 is running a promotion offering free rush-hour access, but only some customers will have access to the deal.

In a statement, the operator of the tolled and privately-owned 108-kilometre express route said certain drivers on the roadway will be able to drive for free Monday to Friday from 7 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. and 3 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. between April and June.

“Customer promotions are a common business practice and something 407 ETR has provided to our drivers over the years,” a spokesperson said in an email. “This promotion is just one way that we're encouraging drivers to increase their use of the highway, giving drivers more time for things that matter most.”

It’s unclear how customers are selected for free access.

Opened in 1997, Highway 407, north of Toronto, runs east-west from Burlington to Pickering, Ont.

In 1999, former premier Mike Harris signed a 99-year lease to a private consortium to operate the highway, which was designed to relieve a badly congested Highway 401.

Since then, the highway operator said it has seen traffic levels on its express route increase by over 95 per cent.

In February, tolls on the highway were increased marginally after a 4-year price freeze prompted by the pandemic. The agency said in December that the hike would likely result in a monthly increase of less than $5 for the average customer.