Private Sector Funding & Toll Roads Better Option

5 July 2002

Private Sector Funding And Toll Roads Better Option Than Higher Petrol Taxes

The Auckland Business Forum has been consistent in advocating support for private-public partnership funding arrangements to enable rapid completion of Auckland’s strategic roading network.

“We are expecting the legislation indicated by Government last February to enable toll roads to be build as part of Auckland’s transport solution to be introduced to Parliament as soon as possible after the election,” said Auckland Business Forum chairman, Michael Barnett.

He was clearly disassociating the Auckland Business Forum from speculation that Government intends to raise tax petrol taxes by up to $1 a litre.

“Our advocacy is that Government introduce its planned Transport Bill as soon as possible to permit the region to top up Transfund’s funding for Auckland with private sector funding options.’

There is no debate that the Government and the region must go faster to complete Auckland’s transport network. Transfund recently allocated a third of its total Budget to Auckland roading projects. “This is a fair share,” said Mr Barnett, “but if we need more and we believe the private sector offers a better option than raising petrol taxes yet again.”

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