Wellington commuters may have to pay for the privilege of driving to work in future with the city council's plans to accelerate congestion charges, when it gets the green light from the Government.
The Automobile Association says there's not enough evidence to support congestion charges. Photo: RNZ / Rob Dixon
Parliament's transport and infrastructure committee is currently exploring the possibility of a congestion charge for Auckland - but Wellington City Council has signalled its intention to put a plan up for public consultation within months.
So-called congestion charges - intended to reduce peak hour traffic - have only been introduced in eight cities around the world and now they're polarising the capital's residents and businesses.
The Road Transport Forum is right behind the idea, which it hopes will free up the roads for freight.
Chief executive Nick Leggett believes reducing the number of cars on the road will boost productivity.
"It isn't some amazing solution it's one of many things that we need to do to improve people's use of public transport, get them out of their vehicles, reduce congestion on the highways so critical freight can move but so we've got a much better transport system which allows Wellingtonians to move around and get on with their day while also improving productivity in the region."
However, the Automobile Association argues there's not enough evidence to support congestion charges.
According to senior infrastructure advisor Sarah Geard the council will struggle to get the public's backing without more preparation.
"It would take many many years to work through how these systems could work and to build public support because ultimately without public support these things can't be taken forward," she said.
"Proposals need to be based on really good analysis so the public can understand the benefits that these changes would deliver relative to the costs people would incur."
On the streets of Wellington some people simply put the proposed congestion rates down to poor governance.
"Absolutely ludicrous, the cities they're comparing them with overseas probably have decent public transport systems in place and their government probably support those systems, this city doesn't and they can't cope with the bus services and the people they have now, it will fail dramatically," said one member of the public.
"I'd say it's just another example of massively incompetent local and national government as opposed to getting the money that they already have and using it wisely," said another.
However, some see it as a necessary step to getting traffic out of the CBD.
"If we want to get vehicles out of the CBD, we need to get people in and the public transport at the moment doesn't really cut it so we've got to do something," said one person.
Wellington Mayor Andy Foster is pleased to see the Government moving on congestion pricing, and hopes it may get the traffic moving in more ways than one.
The council would welcome a ring-fenced alternative funding source to help pay for Let's Get Wellington Moving - the massive $6.4 billion transport plan for the region, he said.
Councils are on the hook for 40 percent of the cost.