Auckland Mayor Len Brown has released a plan this morning for a $2 toll to enter the city's motorways.
The toll, which may vary by time of day and be free at nights, is one of two options to plug a $12 billion transport funding gap.
The second option is a rates rise of about 1 per cent a year on top of ordinary increases and an annual fuel tax of about 1.2 cents per litre.
Mr Brown said the options mark a critical step in the most important funding debate Auckland has ever had.
"Aucklanders tell me every day we need to fix this city's transport problems and I know a basic network isn't good enough for the, so let's debate, discuss and decide if and how much we are prepared to pay to finally fix Auckland's transport problems," Mr Brown said.
Two reports were released today by an independent alternative funding group with the two options.
Group chairman Stewart Milne said Aucklanders had said something has to be done about the transport system and to get on with fixing it.
The council will consult Aucklanders from January on the two options for a decision to be made in a new 10 year budget next year.
The Government will have to approve fuel taxes and tolling existing state highways,
Previous transport ministers have rejected these options.
There are two motorway user charge options.
The first is a flat rate of $2 from 6am to 7pm on weekdays and $1 from 6am-7pm at weekends. Nights are free.
The second option has variable weekday charges from $1.30 (10am-3pm), $2 on the shoulder and $2.80 at the morning(7-9am) and evening(4-6pm) peaks. A $1.30 charge would apply at weekends from 6am-7pm. Nights are free.
There is no cap on the tolls.
If there was, the charges would have to increase.
- Bernard Orsman of the NZ Herald
