A $9 toll on the Auckland Harbour Bridge would be unacceptable to Aucklanders, says Mayor Wayne Brown. Photo / Brett Phibbs
Wayne Brown has slammed the suggestion of a $9 toll on the existing Auckland Harbour Bridge to finance a new harbour crossing, saying it would not be acceptable to Aucklanders.
Instead of the $9 toll, charged 24 hours a day, a much cheaper option was needed for a new harbour crossing, the Auckland mayor said today.
Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop yesterday warned the Government may need to toll the existing harbour bridge as it investigates ways to fund a new Waitematā crossing, which could be a new bridge or a tunnel.
The Infrastructure Commission’s Infrastructure Plan, released yesterday, pondered a $9 toll, raising up to $9 billion towards the new crossing. The Auckland Harbour Bridge was itself tolled when it opened, but tolls ended in 1984. The $9 figure represents the original toll adjusted for inflation.
Bishop said the new crossing would undoubtedly be tolled; the question was whether to toll the existing bridge.
“Whatever ends up being built [a bridge or a tunnel], will be tolled. The question is whether or not the existing connection is tolled – that’s a very big decision and we’re taking advice on it.
“There’s a range of decisions to be made about the funding of that project. It is in theory a project that should be able to pay for itself.”
Brown said today that big decisions about a second harbour crossing or tolling should be made together with Auckland, and not by government agencies working in secret.
North Shore councillor John Gillon was also dismissive of a $9 toll.
“Surely this is a joke,” he posted on social media.
“The Government want to toll the Auckland Harbour Bridge. That would effectively be an entry/exit fee for the North Shore.
“So that could mean a toll on the existing harbour bridge, a toll on the new harbour crossing, a congestion charge, and a rates hike that pays for the City Rail Link that is of little benefit to the North Shore... Nice.”
Earlier this month, Brown doubled down on his proposal to have a second harbour crossing built over Meola Reef, flatly rejecting the Government’s tunnel dreams as a final decision from NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi nears.
The mayor told the Herald in September that Auckland Council was being kept in the dark over the feasibility study for a new harbour crossing, and alleged the Government was giving preference to a crossing close to the existing bridge, a claim which Bishop rejected.
Brown’s preferred option – which the Government will be considering amongst a broader business case for the second crossing – relies on a natural existing lava flow (Meola Reef) extending 2km into the harbour to support the new structure.
Brown said the release of the National Infrastructure Plan was another win for the agenda he has been pushing to fix Auckland’s infrastructure woes.
The mayor welcomed the plan, which sets out how planning, funding and the delivery of infrastructure can be improved over the next 30 years.
“To be honest, I wouldn’t be surprised if they took some of the ideas out of my manifesto. I could’ve written that advice myself. This plan contains some hard truths for our infrastructure sector, and for the Government,” said Brown.
The mayor honed in on concerns the report raised in the approach to transport infrastructure and, in particular, mega projects.
“Auckland is currently in a transport funding crisis. The cost of transport projects that the Government has promised exceeds available funding by tens of billions.
“Inflation is too high, design standards are too high, we have over-zealous futureproofing, consent requirements add ridiculous restrictions, and there’s far too much costly bespoke design.
“We need to focus more on cost and less on world-class. We just want good usable standards,” Brown said.
He cited the opening of the $5.5 billion City Rail Link later this year - the largest infrastructure project of its kind in the country - as costing a fortune.
Brown said he remained focused on ensuring that both the council and Government deliver better, cheaper, faster outcomes for Auckland ratepayers, and expected a new 30-year transport plan drawn up between the council and the Government would be the right forum for tackling the challenges facing the city.
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