Higher tolls for lone drivers?

GRAHAM SKELLERN | 16th February 2005

Motorists driving alone on the new four-lane harbour expressway should pay a higher toll than if they have passengers, the regional council says.

Yesterday Environment Bay of Plenty finalised its submission on funding for the $210 million Harbour Link project across Tauranga Harbour.

Transit New Zealand wants to inject $105 million of Government money into the project with the other half coming from tolls lasting up to 25 years.

A toll of $1-$2 was proposed for cars and might be varied for peak traffic hours and for other times of the day.

But Environment BOP believes the toll for a car carrying only a driver should be set at the highest end of the scale and it should reduce for cars carrying two, three or four people.

The regional council also argues that public passenger transport should be exempt from paying a toll.

In its submission, Environment BOP said it appreciated the need to balance toll revenue against achieving optimal use of the roading network - but it suspected that optimal use was based on vehicle numbers rather than people moved.

The 2001 Census showed that 80 per cent of people drove alone to work over the harbour bridge.

Environment BOP believed setting a toll that enabled this trend to continue did not seem to be optimal.

There would be some diversion off the tolled road onto the alternative 15th Avenue/Turret Rd route, causing increased traffic congestion.

But Environment BOP believed congestion should be used as a tool to make people aware that their travel choices had costs - and to ecourage them to choose more efficient solutions.

The regional council also urged that bus lanes be given priority along Hewletts Rd and across the harbour bridge.

Environment BOP has calculated that based on a toll of $4 a trip, operating two of its bus services across Harbour Link would cost about $77,000 a year. It would cost more if the frequency of services was improved.

The regional council said it could absorb the cost - which might affect the level of subsidy provided by Land Transport NZ - or it could increase the bus fares, resulting in a reduction of passengers.

It could also minimise the cost increase by reducing the number of trips across Harbour Link by reverting to a 60-minute frequency, rather than 30 minutes, on the Tauranga,/Mount Maunganui/Bayfair route.

Environment BOP deputy chairman Bryan Riesterer told the regional development committee yesterday that he was disappointed Transit NZ and Tauranga City Council had not developed an appropriate public-private partnership for the Harbour Link project.

He believed Transit and the city council had not fully developed the funding options - that might not necessarily involve tolls.

He said there might be other funders interested in contributing to the project such as Bay of Plenty Community Trust and Quayside Holdings, which holds Environment BOP's 55 per cent shareholding in Port of Tauranga.

"You are building a huge infrastructure to collect $1 a car. I don't understand the logic," said Cr Riesterer.

He said Harbour Link had a significant benefit to the region and "if you liken it to a river scheme then the (regional) council could provide 10 per cent (of the cost)".

Cr Andrew von Dadelszen said the tolling option was a mechanism for managing traffic flows.

Meanwhile, over 900 submissions have been received on the Harbour Link funding proposal. Submissions close at 5pm this Friday.

Hearings on submissions are in early March before three independent commissioners - and so far only 20 people have indicated they want to be heard in person.