ARC 'support' for tolls stuns councillors

By MATHEW DEARNALEY

Auckland Regional Council members will reconsider support for a tolled motorway extension to Puhoi, after some complained they had no recollection of having voted for it.

They will debate the issue at a meeting next week, raising doubt over a council pledge of support for a toll road to a panel appointed by Transit NZ to gauge community views on the $300 million project.

A withdrawal of the pledge would be a blow to Transit, which is struggling to find the strong community support it needs for the Government to allow tolls.

Council chairwoman Gwen Bull and Rodney District representative Brian Smith were among several members surprised to learn yesterday of an official's assurance to the panel in Orewa that the council supported a toll road.

Analyst Duane Burtt insisted under questioning from panel chairman Alan Bickers on Wednesday that the council's strategic policy committee had the previous day endorsed a submission likely to favour tolls. He said initial council reluctance to support the project was overcome by information from Transit making it clear tolls would raise significant extra revenue and allow transport funds to be allocated to other priority projects in the region.

Mr Bickers said he wanted to be clear that Mr Burtt was reporting council policy and not just the opinion of officers.

But Mr Smith said the issue was included on the policy committee's agenda merely as an administrative item for the information of members - not an item requiring a decision.

He admitted he might have been remiss in not realising the ramifications of the item, which appeared near the end of a 69-page agenda, but said most other members were also unaware and council staff should have drawn their attention to it.

"I've never been to any council meeting where we said tolls on Alpurt [the Albany-to-Puhoi motorway] were a good idea," he told the Herald.

Mr Smith, who made a personal submission earlier supporting the motorway's completion but opposing a $1.80c charge to use it, said he believed the council had to establish a general policy on tolling before granting its support for specific projects.

"We have said urban areas have got to be tolled but I am opposed to one [a tolled road] popping up in a rural area."

Mrs Bull said that she had no idea the item had "slipped through" Tuesday's committee meeting and that she was among members wanting a full discussion before deciding on a toll road.

Policy committee chairman Ian Bradley said he knew he was supporting the toll road at the meeting, but admitted the item should have been higher on the agenda.

He accepted a call by other members for a rethink, as befitting the region's first such project.