13 December 2001

Green MP and Rodney candidate Sue Bradford said today she was concerned that a proposal to build New Zealand's first private toll road in Rodney could be a Trojan Horse for other privately owned toll roads.

Ms Bradford is part of a committee which heard submissions in Auckland yesterday on the Rodney District Council (PENLINK Toll Toad) Empowering Bill. The bill would allow the Rodney District Council to contract a private company to build a 7km toll road linking the Whangaparoa Peninsula to Auckland.

"This is a local bill and at first glance it looks relatively innocuous. However it would lay the groundwork for other privately owned toll roads by setting a precedent," she said. Ms Bradford said the Greens did not yet have a position on the bill, but she had personal concerns about it.

"The private company would have a lot of power in setting tolls, in policing the road and in collecting fines of up to $2000 from motorists who break the rules.

"I'm especially concerned about how much coercive power the company's police would have, and that the company would be able to collect fines to make more money.

"One big question I have is where the Government stands on this. Do they see privately owned toll roads as a cheap way of solving our road transport crisis?"

Ends

© Scoop Media