PT needs funding before roads need pricing

15 February 2007

The Regional Land Transport Committee supports the Transport Ministry’s proposal to further investigate how road pricing can help meet Auckland’s transport funding needs.

The Ministry has today released the submissions analysis of the of the Auckland Road Pricing Evaluation Study (ARPES), and will undertake further work on the issue.

RLTS chairman Joel Cayford said improvements to passenger transport were crucial before road pricing, because people need an alternative to using their cars.

The committee thinks road pricing could potentially, in the longer term, be useful in easing Auckland’s congestion and supports further investigation work being done to establish whether that is the case.

But the immediate challenge facing the region is funding public transport improvements. Every city that successfully introduced road pricing had good public transport (for example, London and Stockholm).

It’s doubtful that road pricing could play a major role in paying Auckland’s way, and the committee has previously noted that development levies and a regional fuel tax are worth investigating.

The Government and the region have been working to align their strategies for Auckland transport, and the Prime Minister’s opening statement to parliament on Tuesday was particularly encouraging, Mr Cayford said.

“Rail electrification and new funding mechanisms are being given serious consideration. Most road pricing systems are very expensive so it’s certainly worth the Transport Ministry finding the best.”

ENDS

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