Overseas cases show benefits to health, environment, roads: experts.
For many Auckland commuters, being stuck in their cars for hours every week is the bane of their lives – so a new measure is being introduced to try to reduce the time drivers spend in gridlocked traffic, but it hasn’t been welcomed by everyone in our biggest city.
At the end of last year, Auckland Council voted to introduce a congestion charge – called time-of-use charging – expected to be in place by December 2025. The plan is to charge vehicles using certain parts of the city’s motorway network at peak times. A fee is yet to be set but amounts ranging from $3.50 to $5 per journey have been mentioned, including by Mayor Wayne Brown.
The idea behind the charge is to encourage motorists to either drive at different non-peak times, if they can, or take public transport.
Geoff Prince, Technical Director - Transport Advisory New Zealand of global infrastructure consulting firm AECOM, says: “Our roads are congested. If we can do something about that, we will see long term benefits, not only in reducing traffic but also in lowering emissions, so there will also be a health impact – and it will help improve the conditions of our roads, which is also important.”
There’s been discussion for years about a congestion charge to deal with increasing traffic volume on Auckland’s roads. According to The Congestion Question, a report from a joint project between the government and the council, congestion is getting increasingly worse, with motorists needing to allow an additional 40-55 per cent longer for their trips to make sure they arrive on time. It says without congestion pricing, car travel is expected to increase around 30 per cent in the morning and afternoon peak times.
While some drivers are not pleased with the prospect of forking out extra money, especially when many people are struggling in the cost of living squeeze, transport and infrastructure experts say the benefits of a congestion charge will outweigh anything else.
Suzanne Murtha, AECOM Vice President for Connected and Automated Technologies, says encouraging people to get behind the wheel at a time when it’s not going to cost them a fee can make a substantial difference to the volume of traffic on the roads: “That’s not only commuters, but also movers of freight. The roads will then be a lot less crowded at those peak times.”
That may mean employers will have to be flexible about the times their staff start and finish work, but it will pay off. If Auckland motorists can spread out their journeys throughout the day it will shorten travel time for everyone who uses the roads and make their lives better,” Murtha says.
“Sitting in your car for long periods of time is an unhealthy activity, so the less time you do that, the better it is for your health. It’s also better for the environment. Transportation has a substantial negative impact on the environment, thanks to emissions, and we know that using a congestion charge type of approach is one way to improve that.”
If people opt to take public transport rather than drive and pay the fee, that means fewer cars on the roads and lower emissions.
“We know from looking at places where congestion charges have been mandated, like London, that there has been a causative impact on pollution as well as traffic congestion, and that is good for everyone.”
After two decades, London’s congestion charge serves as a model other cities can learn from. Its notable impacts include a 37 per cent surge in bus passengers entering the zone during charging hours in the first year. By 2003, there was a 15 per cent reduction in traffic, and by 2006, the congestion charging zone significantly cut central London’s congestion by 26 per cent compared to 2002 levels.
Greenhouse gas emissions saw a 16 per cent decrease from 2002 to 2003. Safety also improved, with 40 to 70 per cent fewer accidents. Congestion charge revenues were earmarked for London’s transport investments, reinforcing its role in funding visible and effective transport solutions in the city. For London, public confidence in the scheme was very low when it was first announced with significant pushback but is now largely accepted mainly due to the environmental benefits.
Over the last decade, London’s congestion charging approach has evolved to prioritise environmental concerns. Today, it is aimed at enhancing air quality rather than solely focusing on alleviating congestion.
An Auckland congestion charge will also play a vital part in giving us better roads. That’s partly because reducing the number of vehicles cuts down on wear and tear on motorways and city streets.
“You have roads that are in better condition, fewer potholes, and cars that are in better condition – fewer flat tyres, for example,” Murtha says. “Roads and cars are safer, so people are safer.”
Meanwhile, revenue collected from the fees can be used to maintain and improve our roads and invest in transport infrastructure and services. That’s particularly crucial given the new government is planning on scrapping the regional fuel tax.
The tax, introduced in 2018, adds around 11 cents to the cost of a litre of fuel, and helps to pay for transport projects and infrastructure in the city. Auckland will need to make up for the shortfall in funding when the tax goes; a congestion charge will help.
Prince, who himself commutes into the CBD from Albany, says he knows only too well how important it is to be taking steps now that make getting around Auckland easier.
“We live in a supercity with the largest population in New Zealand in one of the world’s most sprawling cities. Population growth will mean more cars on the roads and more congestion unless we do something. Nobody wants to spend hours sitting in a car.
“In New Zealand, it’s been a rite of passage to drive a car, but that’s becoming less prevalent in other parts of the world,” he adds. “The UK is seeing the lowest uptake in drivers’ licences in the younger demographic than ever – because more people are choosing to live in cities and use public transport rather than living on the outskirts and driving, which we are more used to doing.
“We need to change our travel behaviour patterns, and congestion charging is a very good initiative to help with that.”
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