Aucklanders prepare for petrol pump pain

Motorists have swarmed to some Auckland service stations for a last discount fuel-up before an 11.5-cent tax hike bites on Sunday.

Gull's monthly "discount day" has been especially popular as customers take advantage of 10-cent a litre savings and $11 worth of discount vouchers.

The rush to fill up comes just days before Auckland's regional fuel tax increase. The Government plans another 4-cent a litre fuel excise tax increase on October 1.

Auckland Council and the Government say the money raised through the taxes will help fund critical public transport projects - and most motorists the Herald spoke to seemed to accept the added pain at the pump.

There were lengthy queues at the Gull station on New North Rd in Kingsland today.

Comments at the forecourt included:

• "It hurts but I don't think you can do much about it really."

• "Well I suppose if it's helping roads that's a good thing but where does it stop? I mean, where's the limit?"

• "It's fair enough to sort out the roads and the public transport. How else are you going to fund it?"

• "Well yes and no but we need better infrastructure around public transport so you've got to pay the cost at some stage."

• "It's all for a good cause hopefully and hopefully we start seeing a trickle effect come down eventually."

Another driver was even more accepting of the increased prices.

"I think it's fair enough. Tax the hell out of it."

"You know the growth of car use has been exponential simply because there isn't the public transport infrastructure and somehow we've got to pay for that."

But other drivers were less than impressed.

"It's just a rip-off. We're working for nothing practically. We can't even pay our rent and they're just putting everything up."

"I've got a Gold Card so I've decided if I can go anywhere with my Gold Card I won't use my car."

Opponents of the fuel tax increases have argued that low-income families will be especially hard hit.

But new figures show low-income families will pay around $4 a week extra as a result of the taxes compared to $8 a week for wealthier households.