18 Apr 2015

Minister has motorway toll doubts

8:40 am on 18 April 2015

The Transport Minister says he remains skeptical about whether a motorway tax in Auckland would work.

National MP Simon Bridges.

National MP Simon Bridges. Photo: RNZ / Alexander Robertson

A council survey found 57 percent of those surveyed chose motorway charges ahead of higher petrol taxes and higher rates, to pay for the larger of two packages of transport projects over the next decade.

Len Brown said he would now promote the motorway charge option in the city's upcoming debate on its ten year budget, and was not prepared to contemplate a Government refusal to back the idea.

But Transport Minister, Simon Bridges, said he remained skeptical that either motorway tax or petrol taxes and higher rates would have a material affect on congestion issues.

He said that if transport is the council's number one priority, it should be reflected in its budgets, but noted that spending had fallen in the past three years.

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