News below follows a government news release on 13th December – See below to read the full release
The Government has agreed key policy changes to enable more tolling of roading infrastructure.
The reforms are designed to ensure user-pays from new and improved roads. i.e. those that benefit contribute to the cost of building them. It is hoped the changes will generate funding forecasts to make it possible to deliver infrastructure more quickly and efficiently.
Key changes:
- Enabling tolling of an entire corridor, including existing roads that gain capacity or are extended by new projects
- Automatically increasing toll prices by inflation, ensuring users contribute fairly over the lifetime of the road
- Requiring a free viable alternative, while enabling tolling schemes to require heavy vehicles to use toll roads where the toll road is designed to divert traffic away from built-up or suburban areas
- Making it more efficient to set up and collect toll revenues
Tolling Principles NZTA must consider when proposing a toll road:
- Supporting Investment: Tolling supports an efficient, productive roading network.
- Customer Pays: Those who use the road contribute to infrastructure they benefit from.
- Clear Benefits: Users gain travel time savings, safety benefits, and more reliable journeys.
- Free Alternative: A free alternative route is always available.
Changes to tolling consultation processes:
- Clearly explain the benefits of the proposed toll road and how customers will benefit.
- Outline wider impacts on local roads and how toll revenue may support maintenance of free alternatives.
- Ensure all relevant information is available at the start of the consultation process.
There will not be enforcement for heavy vehicles to use toll roads, unle the toll road is designed to divert traffic away from built-up or suburban areas.