KEY POINTS:
Car-makers say the Government has missed an opportunity to give "green" diesel vehicles a greater edge over gas-guzzlers by re-tuning road-user charges.
As well as upsetting truck drivers by raising user charges without warning, the Government has kept the motor industry waiting for progress on an investigation into
fees on all diesel vehicles lighter than 3 tonnes.
Transport Minister Annette King promised the Automobile Association early last year that officials would review user charges which are still the same for fuel-efficient micro cars as for SUVs or goods vehicles weighing far more and therefore imposing greater wear and tear on roads.
But last week's increase to road-user charges included an increase of $3.28 - to $36.07 - for every 1000km travelled by all vehicles under the 3-tonne threshold, above which the fees rise with each extra tonne.
The charges are in addition to the price of diesel, which has risen by 81 per cent since a year ago to 185.9c at main-centre pumps.
That compares with a 35 per cent rise for 91-octane petrol, to 212.9c, which includes taxes not lumped into the diesel price.
BMW New Zealand head Mark Gilbert said the blanket charges contradicted other Government policy which encouraged the greater use of fuel-efficient vehicles, as these were still being treated "like dirty old tractors".
He noted that his company's small BMW 118d, which could travel 100km on just 4.7 litres of diesel, was named 2008 World Green Car at the New York Auto Show.
"Yet road-user charges erode any cost benefit to the consumer from these fuel savings."
Mr Gilbert said diesel models now accounted for more than half of all new BMWs sold in New Zealand, which he attributed to rising fuel costs as well as cleaner technology aimed at cutting carbon emissions.
The Motor Industry Association has also criticised the Government for missing "the perfect opportunity" to recognise the beneficial impact of small diesel cars on emissions and global warming.
"Road-user charges are a legitimate and sensible way of recovering the costs imposed on the roading system by heavy transport but the concept has not been modified to reflect the times," association chief executive Perry Kerr said.
"When this regime was imposed, it was not designed to cope with lightweight diesel-powered vehicles which do not damage the roads at all."
Government officials could not be reached for comment, but AA motoring affairs manager Mike Noon said he had been assured that work by the Ministry of Transport was at least "under way" on the promised charging review.
Ms King announced the proposed review to the Automobile Association at its annual meeting last year, after referring to Government plans - which have since been implemented - to set minimum harmful exhaust requirements for used vehicle imports, and to raise emission standards for new cars.
She told the AA: "This will allow us to begin to encourage the use of new diesel vehicles, which are far more efficient than their petrol counterparts, without having to worry about the air-quality issues that are associated with older diesel vehicles."