Waikato petrol stations pumped to pick up benefits of Auckland fuel tax

Waikato petrol stations already have plans up their sleeves for when Auckland's regional fuel tax comes into force sometime next year.

Auckland motorists looks set to pay 11.5 cents more per litre of fuel as part of Mayor Phil Goff's proposed 10-year budget he announced on Thursday. The proceeds would go towards easing congestion, improving the housing crisis and reducing sewage pouring into the region's harbours.

As the Auckland Council's boundary only goes so far south as Pukekohe, NZH Focus asked people in the middle of town how far they'd be willing to go - to Tuakau for example - to save at the pump.

"I'm for it, it would be more of a disadvantage to have go out of the region to fill up. It's easy enough to take the hit, financially," one man said.

Another said: "I think I'd probably just consider going to my usual gas station, rather than spending the extra dollars to get [to Tuakau] and get back."

And another said he couldn't see why Pukekohe residents wouldn't travel a few miles out of the way to save some money.

Tuakau is 10km away from Pukekohe, and has just two petrol stations.

Gull New Zealand's general manager, Dave Bodger, says the unmanned pump at Tuakau is sure to get "enormously busy" once Auckland's regional fuel tax kicks in.

That's a stark contrast to what the manager of the other station, GAS Tuakau on George St, told NZH Focus. He says he's considering upping his fuel prices to match Auckland's, or be two or three cents cheaper, for the sake of competition.

Meanwhile, in Pokeno, just 15km away from Pukekohe, the manager of the only petrol station there, Pokeno Fuel Stop, says he won't be matching Auckland prices and that he's excited about the extra business.