25 Oct 2014

Motorists wary of new charges - AA

1:46 pm on 25 October 2014

The Automobile Association (AA) says the Auckland Council has a big job on its hands to convince motorists of the benefits of paying extra charges to fund transport projects.

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Auckland Council is working on ways to come up with funding for new transport projects. Photo: AUCKLAND TRANSPORT

An independent advisory board will next week unveil detailed proposals on how much a range of new charges might deliver.

An AA spokesperson, Barney Irvine, said although a survey of Auckland members found 63 percent favoured new charges over higher rates, there was little understanding of the benefits that would follow.

"If the officials are going to get public support for any new road pricing scheme, they're going to have to get the public over the cost hurdle, and to do that they're going to have to start talking in a really clear and compelling way about benefits."

Mr Irvine said the "awareness vacuum" was being filled with a conversation about costs and that was "scaring people off".

He said the public needed to hear about congestion relief, travel times, economic growth and the development of different travel options.

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