A new report predicts there will be a substantial increase in the amount of freight hauled around the country, but does not say how it will be dealt with.
If the numbers are correct, there could be a 75% increase in the amount of freight carried around the country in the next 25 years.
Phillip Eyles, from Local Government New Zealand, says the more trucks there are on the road, the more damage there is to roads.
He says increases in freight will put additional pressure on infrastructure and require more money to maintain roads.
The report, commissioned by the Ministry of Transport, the Ministry of Economic Development and the New Zealand Transport Agency, concludes roads are by far the most common way of moving freight, well ahead of rail and coastal shipping.
The Green Party is critical of the report. Green Party co-leader Russel Norman says the party would like to see more freight moved by rail and coastal shipping.
He said while there are targets for increasing the amount of coastal and rail freight movement "when we look at their 10-year transport plan, we know that the focus is very much on motorways and road building construction".
Dr Norman says he is confident this will change as future governments are forced to consider more energy efficient modes of transport.
