Ministry attracts flak over bridge toll

The Ministry of Transport came under fire from North Shore City Council yesterday for proposing a $6 harbour-bridge crossing fee, double a possible charge on other congested roads.

A ministry study into charging motorists to reduce Auckland traffic congestion proposes four possible "road-pricing" schemes, raising up to $5 or $6 a day per vehicle, or a $10 surcharge on top of existing commercial parking fees.

If adopted, a cordon around the entire Auckland isthmus would cost motorists $3 for passing any of 14 electronic charging points between 6am and 10am on weekdays, but there would be a $6 fee for using southbound lanes of the harbour bridge.

An alternative double-cordon with 50 charging points would cost $3 to penetrate either of two layers, but bridge users would still be levied $6.

Although $6 would be the maximum daily charge under any scheme apart from the parking surcharge, sensitivities are already high in North Shore City, more than 20 years after the end of bridge tolls.

Councillor Chris Darby, representing the city yesterday on the Auckland Regional Land Transport Committee, was unmoved by a ministry explanation for the proposed bridge charge.

Senior ministry analyst Nick Sargent said the study had nominated charges high enough to prompt people to change their travelling behaviour.

He said study designers considered that North Shore commuters would soon have the option of using the region's best public transport corridor, the $290 million Northern Busway.

But Mr Darby challenged that view, noting that plenty of money was being spent improving the rail corridors, and indicating that his council would amplify its concerns in submissions due to close on April 28.

Principal ministry adviser Chris Money said computer-modelling indicated congestion would be reduced by 30 to 35 per cent on roads covered by new charges, where average speeds would increase by 17 per cent.

He said a report from Stockholm, where a six-month cordon-charging trial began in January, indicated 64 per cent public acceptance now compared with just 38 per cent support for the scheme before it was introduced.

The ministry's proposal to limit charging to the morning peak between 6am and 10am was aimed firstly at reducing congestion rather than maximising revenue, he said.

But Mr Money noted that the study followed advice of a joint group of officials from the Auckland region and the Government, that charging be investigated for both purposes.

He said annual net revenue from the various schemes modelled for Auckland would range from $21 million to $85 million, once mitigation costs primarily for more public transport services were deducted.

Although 80 per cent of households would remain unaffected, others would face extra costs, ranging between 0.1 and 6 per cent of their overall spending.

The full study report is available at the link below.

TOLL OPTIONS

* A cordon around the entire Auckland isthmus would cost motorists $3 for passing during the weekday morning rush, but there would be a $6 fee for using southbound lanes of the harbour bridge.

* An alternative double-cordon would cost motorists $3 to penetrate either of two layers, but bridge users would still be levied $6 in one hit.