Tauranga puts brakes on congestion charge study

Tauranga City commissioners decided not to proceed with a business case into congestion charges because of community opposition. Photo: John Borren/SunLive.

Plans to investigate congestion charges further in Tauranga have been dropped by council after a public outcry.

Instead, issues with the road congestion charges will be investigated further at a cost of $1.5 million.

Tauranga City Council opted to investigate issues raised by the community after strong opposition to congestion charges.

The commission decided look at these issues rather than progress with a business case during long-term plan deliberations on Monday.

They approved $1.5m funding for the investigation, spread equally over three years.

The council consulted on whether to investigate congestion charges through a business case as part of the 2024-34 long-term plan.

They received 1099 submissions about the charges with 81 per cent of these opposed to congestion charging, and just 14 per cent in support.

A concept plan for Tauranga congestion charges, with the priced roads in red. Photo: Tauranga City Council.

People were also asked if they supported the council working with NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi on a business case, with 78 per cent opposing the move and 22 per cent in support.

Dubbed SmartTrip Variable Road Pricing, the charges would replace the current tolls on the Takitimu Northern Link (TNL) and the Tauranga Eastern Link (TEL).

Pricing would change based on the time of day and where people were accessing the road network from.

One concept showed the priced network would include the state Highway ring around the Te Papa Peninsula (SH2, SH29, SH29A), SH2 and TNL from Te Puna, and the TEL.

Issues raised by submitters included the cost, location and time of the charges, and the availability of alternative transport modes, like buses and cycle routes.

Equity concerns were also raised for lower income earners and the impact it would have on the wider road network if people avoided the paid roads.

 Commissioner Stephen Selwood said analysis showed congestion would double in the next 10 years. Photo: John Borren/SunLive.

Commissioner Stephen Selwood said the initial SmartTrip analysis showed congestion would double in the next 10 years if options like these weren’t looked at.

“We need to use our existing network more efficiently and more effectively and that's what congestion charging, or as we've named it SmartTrip pricing, can achieve.

“That said, the community have raised many very valid issues that need to be resolved,” said Selwood.

“It is true that we need to invest more in public transport, so we start to provide viable alternatives for people.”

Commissioner Bill Wasley supported getting “good information” from a local perspective and said it was important to feed this into any national changes.

The Government indicated that road charging legislation would be considered as a way of reducing congestion and improving travel reliability in New Zealand cities.

A law change is required to enable congestion charging.

Commissioner Shadrach Rolleston said paying for access to roads was not a new concept for Tauranga. Photo: John Borren/SunLive.

Commissioner Shadrach Rolleston said there had been tolls in Tauranga since 1988.

There was a toll to use the Tauranga Harbour Bridge from its opening in 1988 until 2001. Tauranga also has two of the country’s three toll roads.

“The prospect of paying for access [to roads] is not a new thing for the community.

“We need to pay for our transport in a more efficient way”.

Removing tolls and the fuel tax, while getting people to pay for what they use was a more efficient way to gather revenue and reinvest back in the transport network, he said.

Commission chair Anne Tolley said income from petrol tax was dropping dramatically and would continue to do so. while the state highways were in a “poor state.”

Commission chair Anne Tolley said the wasn't enough money to go around to pay for transport infrastructure. Photo: John Borren/SunLive.

“There just isn't enough money to go around to do to the things we need to do.”

Tolley said it made sense to get involved in the discussion about congestion charges early rather than reacting to it.

The commission also agreed for the council to engage with NZTA-Waka Kotahi, the Ministry of Transport, and other councils, including Auckland Council, to explore nationally consistent approaches to congestion charges.

“Given that Government policy is likely to take this matter out of our hands, the commission’s view is that we should investigate the key concerns expressed by our community,” said Tolley in a statement after the meeting.

“Tauranga is the only council in the country which has consulted on the road pricing concept.”

This meant the council had “rich feedback” to pass on to the government, she said.

LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.

15 comments

what a farce

Posted on 04-03-2024 17:06 | By an_alias

Oh well, drop it by approving $1.5M funding to investigate us doing it.
I mean can you continue to lie ?
Its stopping folks by us doing a study, someone needs to get fired and quick !


Best news eva

Posted on 04-03-2024 17:10 | By Angel74

Thank God the idiotic idea of congestion charges hav been squashed!!!!


We need an investigation

Posted on 04-03-2024 17:11 | By an_alias

Who is getting this $1.5M dollars for a study we dont need ?
Please answer that !


Stop Wasting Our Time & Money

Posted on 05-03-2024 06:31 | By Sunchine

Clearly there is strong opposition to congestion charges anyway fancy way you label them. Please do not throw away another $1.5million on a study to look at (overcoming) those objections. Instead ask Central Govt for RUCs on non-fuel taxed vehicles for a share in that to spend on our roading. And spend the $1.5m of ratepayer money on actual road improvement/repairs. Thank you.


Politics 101

Posted on 05-03-2024 07:22 | By Wigan

First rule of politics when you have a contentious issue to bring in.
1. Float it "out-there"... 2. wait for the uproar... 3. pretend you have listened to the concerns of the people... 4. hide the matter under the carpet for 6 months... 5. do it anyway, citing you tried but it really is the only way! :)


Stuffwittery

Posted on 05-03-2024 07:29 | By POHS

This lot of fiscal bozos are idiot magnets personified. Roll on July2024


And there goes

Posted on 05-03-2024 13:29 | By nerak

another $1.5m of OUR money, for idiots to sit around warming very expensive seats, drinking coffee and admiring OUR view. Yes, our view, we are paying for that, too. For pity's sake, just DON'T do an unnecessary investigation, WE can't afford it. Just, pack up your money filled bags, and leave, NOW.


The Master

Posted on 05-03-2024 13:43 | By Ian Stevenson

Council has "planned" deliberately for congestion 24/7, a simple and obvious example is Greerton Roundabout.

Wasting money on "investigating" what exactly, TCC investigations of anything are dodgy at best, investigating themselves just means more jobs for the Ol-boys right!


No Fuel Tax

Posted on 05-03-2024 14:00 | By Sunchine

Removal of Fuel tax for all and relying on Road User Charges by the km, subscribed to annually by the minimum chunk of kms and increased if driving goes above a threshold means Users of Roads are fairly charged and infrastructure agencies can budget that income annually, not wait for a trickle in at point of sale. Also, people using fuel for other purposes are not overcharged as if using it on the road, eg, chainsaws, lawnmowers, brush cutting, weed trimmers, tractors (to produce food), water pumps, emergency generators, excavators, etc. Imo.


Wastful

Posted on 05-03-2024 14:08 | By oceans

What a waste of ratepayers money doing a study that will result in nothing being done. Coingestion is nothing compared to what it will be like in a few years. If you have driven around Auckland recently you will have noticed their traffic congestion. Diabolical. Tauranga WILL BE THE SAME in a few years. All the roading upgrades to benefit cyclists and others will not help traffic congestion one bit. The Council will find that out in time.


Backwards

Posted on 05-03-2024 14:08 | By Yadick

Had all this investigating not already been done before the decision was made for a business case?
So everything and all expenses leading up to the business case was a total waste of money and you'll now bleed another $1.5,000,000.00 of our hard earned money into another half ar**d investigation.
As 'nerak' so aptly puts it:
Just, pack up your money filled bags, and leave, NOW.


NO!

Posted on 05-03-2024 15:42 | By Wigan

Just reading back through the days comments, it seems the investigation & report has already been done, it even comes with a couple of nice little footnotes to the 4 people carrying the bags full of our money. AND it didn't even cost a cent.
The answer is NO.


Save 50%

Posted on 05-03-2024 22:58 | By Come on TCC!

I'll investigate this issue for $750,000.
0800 sort this sh_t show out!


Rich Feedback ?

Posted on 06-03-2024 09:49 | By Sunchine

... If the main purpose of spending this $1.5m of ratepayer money is to pass on "rich feedback" to Central Government for it to consider in general policy then why doesn't CG fund that investigation itself, not local ratepayers ? Is this information required to apply for more CG transport funding? Tangibly, what does Tauranga get in return for the $1.5m it spends?


Sequencing

Posted on 08-04-2024 20:55 | By Ziggaty

I still do not understand why traffic light sequencing, wherever possible, has not been tried. I saw this in San Francisco several years ago. It was case of now you see it, and then you don't. BTW there is no reason why this council or the NZTA could not do this.

I believe some experimenting would have to be done All it takes is someone to try it.


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