Motorcyclists revved up over end to toll-free use of Northern Gateway

Motorcyclists will soon have to pay $2 each way to use Auckland's Northern Gateway toll motorway, ending free rides enjoyed since the road opened early last year.

The Transport Agency has decided that because motorcyclists enjoy similar time savings to those of car drivers, they must pay the same toll, to be introduced about July.

But the Bikers Rights Organisation of New Zealand is crying foul, saying motorcycles impose less wear and tear on roads, and should therefore incur a lower toll.

Transport Agency regional director Wayne McDonald said yesterday that tolling motorcyclists was fair, as they received similar benefits to those enjoyed by other motorists in terms of both time savings and safer journeys.

He said 51,000 motorcycle rides were taken on the road between its opening date on January 25 last year and the end of December.

Bikers Rights Auckland president Les Mason said he believed members would have tolerated a $1 charge, but charging them the same as car drivers could lead to toll evasion and resentment against "the Transport Agency's antagonism to motorcyclists".

He said the agency had established a graduated toll system, by charging operators of trucks and other vehicles over 3.5 tonnes $4 a trip.

If the agency's guiding principle was fairness, it should therefore charge $2 across the board.

Mr Mason acknowledged the difficulties of charging just $1, given that the agency disclosed in October that it spent an average of $1.29 in the road's first six months to recover each $2 car toll, and as much as $2.70 on processing payments received by phone.

"What they should have said is that it's not an issue of equity - it's just too difficult for us [to collect a $1 toll]."

Mr McDonald said the $4 toll charged for trucks was not intended to cover wear and tear, but was in recognition of the greater value to their owners of time savings.

He said the aim of tolls was to repay a 35-year loan of $159 million towards construction of the $356 million road, rather than to cover its maintenance cost, for which it received separate allocations from the national land transport fund.

TOLLS

Motorcycles: $0 (soon to rise to $2) - 51,000 trips on the 7km toll road in the first 11 months to December 31.
Cars: $2 - 3.64 million trips.
Trucks, buses and other vehicles over 3.5 tonnes: $4 - 290,000 trips.