An animation of Waka Kotahi's planned O Mahurangi Penlink road connecting Whangaparaoa Peninsula. Photo: NZTA
The government has agreed to toll three new highways being built in the North Island.
The three are Ōtaki to north of Levin, Penlink in north Auckland, and the Takitimu North Link.
These will become the first new toll roads in years, and double the existing number of tolled highways, from three to six.
But tolls would not be put on the new Manawatū-Tararua Highway that replaces the old Manawatū Gorge highway.
At the same time, the government announced that existing roads can be tolled too, if they gain capacity or are extended by new projects.
This is a major change as currently existing roads cannot be tolled.
The 7km Penlink will join Whangaparāoa to State Highway One.
Takitimu North Link is a 7km route north of Tauranga.
The stretch to be tolled north of Wellington picks up State Highway One from where it has been upgraded to date as far as Ōtaki.
"Tolling on these roads will support the ongoing cost of delivering these roads and maintaining and operating them," Transport Minister Simeon Brown said.
"This will help motorists in Auckland, Tauranga, and Greater Wellington gain faster, safer, and more reliable journeys."
Each route would offer a free, viable alternative, as is the current requirement by law.
Earlier, suggestions the Manawatū-Tararua highway might be tolled sparked local outrage.
Brown said "late consultation and timing constraints" mean it would not be cost-effective to toll it till well after the road's completion, placing it outside expectations for new tolling.
Tararua mayor Tracey Collis said she was almost brought to tears by the news Te Ahu a Turanga would not be tolled.
Tararua mayor Tracey Collis. Photo: RNZ / Jimmy Ellingham
Collis told RNZ the proposal for the highway to be tolled was a massive issue for their community.
"Any toll would have been so detrimental to all parts of life in the Tararua District so it's just a huge relief."
She said it would have put a massive financial burden for her residents.
"Access to all her health services, all our social services, many of our banking and professional services are all held in the [Palmerston North] city so it impacted every part of your life."
Collis said the new road will create growth in the region and provide security.
The route is expected to open in the middle of next year.
Tolling announcement welcomed
Trucking lobby group Transporting New Zealand supports the government's move for new tolled roads and the decision not to put tolls on the Manawatū-Tararua Highway.
Three new North Island toll roads on the way
Interim chief executive Dom Kalasih told Checkpoint while it was upsetting for some, the revenue for roads was needed.
He said tolls weren't the only way. Increasing taxes such as road user charges (for diesel vehicles) or excise duties (for petrol vehicles), congestion pricing and public private partnerships were other options.
However, the benefit of tolling and other forms of revenue raising meant new roads could be constructed earlier.
He was in doubt that the country's three existing toll roads had been successful and their increased revenue had led to better design, reduced congestion and increased productivity.
"At the end of the day there's a very strong correlation between the kilometres freight trucks move and gross domestic product - they're good for the economy."
Ultimately, tolling proposals should be accompanied by alternative routes for those who did not wish to pay.
Transporting NZ did not support the tolling on the new Manawatū-Tararua Highway because it was a replacement for a previous road, State Highway 3, Kalasih said.
It wasn't supported by a strong business case.
"So it didn't really meet any of the criteria for tolling."
Existing roads could be tolled
Currently, existing roads cannot be tolled, and toll revenue must be used only to help run the highway it applies to.
But the new changes announced by Brown would allow tolling of a whole corridor - a new highway and existing roads that connect to it.
"These changes will enable the ... [NZTA] to consider tolling in circumstances beyond what is currently possible," said Brown in a statement.
The government is already requiring every new highway project to consider using tolls, under its GPS (government policy statement) on land transport.
On top of that, the new policies will set an automatic inflation adjustment to toll fees and require trucks to use toll roads where a road was designed to divert traffic away from built-up or suburban areas.
A viable free alternative route must be available - as is the case now.
A $100m-plus tech upgrade is underway. Brown said the law would also be changed to toll the vehicle owner rather than the driver to make it easier to collect payments.
The legislation would be introduced next year.
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