Summary
Radio New Zealand (RNZ) covers the push to legalise congestion charges and time-of-use charging for road users. In July 2024, RNZ published an explainer on congestion charges with a focus on Auckland’s traffic issues. In August 2024, RNZ published an article on how the Government accelerates congestion charging plans.
These RNZ publications reported the following:
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Central government and local government have been investigating time-of-use congestion charges for decades.
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The schemes involve charging people different fees to travel on certain roads at certain times. This is expected to cause people to avoid travelling by road at busy times.
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Auckland Transport and NZTA (Waka Kotahi) are looking to share technology and aim to “…use cameras to snap number plates to charge for using strategic roads from early 2026”.
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A law change is required to allow these charging schemes.
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Transport Minister Simeon Brown is quoted as being “….committed to passing legislation that will enable local authorities such as Auckland Council to introduce time of use charging”.
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The Coalition government is planning to introduce legislation this year to “allow councils to introduce congestion charges”.
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Transport Minister Simeon Brown has promised that the new legislation will go through a full select committee process with the public able to make submissions.
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There are estimates that Auckland’s congestion costs the country about a billion dollars annually and suggestions that congestion charging could reduce congestion by 8-12% in Auckland.
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Critics argue that the scheme would be unfair on those on low income, women, shift workers, and those without access to “reliable and affordable public transport”.
Article Details
Headline: Government accelerates congestion charging plans
Published on: 12 August 2024
Published by: RNZ
Link:
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/524883/government-accelerates-congestion-charging-plans
Archived Link:
Headline: Time of use pricing schemes are a step closer in Auckland: What you need
to know
Published on: 11 July 2024
Published by: RNZ
Link:
Archived Link:
Important Quotes
“It’s no secret Auckland has a congestion problem and without action, it will get worse.
For decades, central and local governments have been investigating time of use charging, a form of congestion pricing, as part of the solution in the supercity and elsewhere.
It involves charging people for taking their vehicle onto the busiest streets at the busiest times. Rather than pay the fee, some people avoid it by travelling another way or at a different time. Meaning there’s less traffic on those busy roads.
The money collected from those who keep using the roads, meanwhile, can go into things like new or better roads, or cycleways.
Sounds like a win, win then?
Maybe not if you’re someone who has few, if any, alternatives to copping the charge.”
Katie Kenny, RNZ in Time of use pricing schemes are a step closer in Auckland: What you need to know, 11 July 2024
“Labour sought cross-party support for congestion charging legislation while it was in government, but couldn’t get National to support it without also committing to ditching the Auckland regional fuel tax.
The National-Act coalition agreement promised to “work with [the council] to implement time of use road charging to reduce congestion and improve travel time reliability”.
In November, 2023, Auckland Council voted to start work on a scheme which could come into effect as soon as 2025. But officials now admit 2026 is a more likely timeframe.
Meanwhile, the government’s transport plan mentioned congestion charging will play a “key role” in the delivery of transport infrastructure.”
Katie Kenny, RNZ in Time of use pricing schemes are a step closer in Auckland: What you need to know, 11 July 2024
“Congestion is a tax on your time, and on productivity. It means that we are away from home for longer sitting in gridlock, and it results in fewer jobs being done, fewer deliveries, and delays to services across the city”
Transport Minister Simeon Brown as quoted by RNZ in Government accelerates congestion charging plans, 12 August 2024
“This is an enabling piece of legislation. Councils put forward the proposal, NZTA will then work in partnership as a majority partner … to make sure that it looks at network efficiencies – so not just one part of the network but overall network efficiency – and then there’s going to be rigorous oversight as well.”
Transport Minister Simeon Brown as quoted by RNZ in Government accelerates congestion charging plans, 12 August 2024
“He said public acceptability would be key, and it would take a couple of years before the first scheme was fully in place. He said he would not give a timeframe at this point, nor would he set down a specific range of possible charges.
The legislation would go through a full select committee process, giving the public the opportunity to make submissions.”
RNZ reporting on Transport Minister Simeon Brown in Government accelerates congestion charging plans, 12 August 2024
“We need to make sure that we take the public with us on this journey. It’s all very well for transport experts to sit around a room and say ‘this is how it’s going to work and isn’t this amazing’ but actually we need to make sure we have a really good conversation and discussion”
Transport Minister Simeon Brown as quoted by RNZ in Government accelerates congestion charging plans, 12 August 2024
“Any money collected through time of use charging will also be required to be invested back into transport infrastructure that benefits Kiwis and businesses living and working in the region where the money was raised. Councils will not be able to spend this money on other priorities or pet projects.”
Transport Minister Simeon Brown as quoted by RNZ in Government accelerates congestion charging plans, 12 August 2024
“In government, Labour did the groundwork on this [congestion charges] policy and sought bipartisan support, which National declined when we wouldn’t remove the fuel tax.”
Labour’s Auckland issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert as quoted by RNZ in Government accelerates congestion charging plans, 12 August 2024
“We know that Aucklanders need better options for transport, but all we have seen from a $1.2 billion hole in the city’s infrastructure fund after the fuel tax has been removed, and 6.8 percent rates rise to cover the costs of water…
…The congestion charges are nothing but a revenue generating exercise for the government. A third of New Zealand calls Auckland home and the city should be thriving, but instead we’re footing the bill for this government’s poor decisions.”
Labour’s Auckland issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert as quoted by RNZ in Government accelerates congestion charging plans, 12 August 2024
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