Road Tolls Are Just Another Tax

Transport spokesperson Peter Brown says Transit New Zealand, acting on behalf of the Government, is softening up New Zealanders for an onslaught of tolls on roads.

Motorists in the Rodney District, north of Auckland, are the first to face the issue after a Transit panel approved a toll for the northern motorway extension.

“Road related taxes and user charges should pay for our roads. A recently released report compiled by the Allen Consulting Group on behalf of the Automobile Association identified that this is an absolute disgrace. There are no other words for it,” said Mr Brown.

“We are ripping off the motorist, the transport operator and the consumer and this should be rectified. To initiate a road tolling regime, where some of the money collected will go into constructing toll booths and paying for people to staff them, is further waste of money collected from the motoring public.

“On top of that, this Government proposes to increase fuel taxes next April by a further 5 cents a litre, with more increases in road user charges for the productive sector and diesel car operators.

“The Government holds no mandate for any of this and undoubtedly it will be a political issue at the next election.

“It is an absolute disgrace that for the past 11 years the total revenue collected on road related taxes and user charges has exceeded spending on roading by a massive average of 42 percent.

“New Zealanders are being blackmailed into accepting road tolls to fast track roading projects,” concluded Mr Brown.

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