Mayor Wayne Brown backs congestion charge amid $2.6b traffic cost

By Maia Ingoe of RNZ

A new report commissioned by Auckland’s mayor estimates traffic congestion could cost the super city $2.6 billion each year by next year.

Brown commissioned the report from consultants EY and ARUP in support of his case for a time of use - or congestion - charge.

The Government has introduced a time of use charging bill, and it was due to be heard in Parliament for its first reading on Tuesday.

The report, Auckland’s Cost of Congestion, estimated the average Aucklander will waste over 17 hours in traffic each year by 2026 – working out to 29 million hours every year across the city.

The costs incurred from delays caused by traffic would be $1.9 billion, and macro-economic costs, $0.7b, were projected to add up to $2.6b a year by 2026.

Brown said traffic costs businesses and Aucklanders alike, and it needed to be fixed to get growth in the city.

“A time of use charge will enable people to think of other ways to travel, like public transport, carpooling or driving outside rush hour.

“Reducing Auckland’s congestion will mean that truckies can deliver more freight on fewer trucks, and tradies can spend more time on the job, rather than sitting in traffic.

“If we’re going to achieve the growth the Government wants, we need to fix this now.”

Mayor Wayne Brown. Photo / Alex Burton

Brown said a congestion charge would be the start, but a stronger public transport and roading system was also needed.

According to the report, 90% of the vehicles that were stuck in traffic were cars, and the next 7% were heavy vehicles.

Auckland’s morning traffic reached its highest levels at about 8am, with it taking an average of 19 minutes to drive 10km.

The afternoon surge peaks at 5pm, taking an average of 20 minutes to traverse 10km on the roads.

The report said while the evening traffic was longer and slightly worse, at both morning and evening congestion doubles the time a trip takes overnight.

In 2024, Auckland was ranked as the 77th worst congested city globally, out of 500 cities across 62 countries.

- RNZ

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