A congestion charge to drive through Auckland's central city at peak hours is one option being considered to handle the city's traffic problems. Photo / Brett Phibbs
By RNZ
A congestion charge of $3.50 to drive through Auckland's central city at peak hours is one option being considered to handle the city's traffic problems.
Details of the scheme have been revealed in a just-released report.
According to the report, there could be a peak period travel charge of $3.50 with a lower charge of $1.50 at other times.
A levy would apply Monday to Friday but not at weekends.
The report from July 2020 has been completed by a joint government and Auckland City group called The Congestion Question, set up to see if congestion pricing would work in Auckland.
Congestion charges have been introduced in other cities like London, Singapore and Stockholm. Users pay to enter some parts of a city - and often pay more at rush hour.
The report says that with the right design - and improvements to public transport - Auckland could see improvements in traffic flows.
It does suggest helping people who face "unreasonable and unavoidable" increases in transport costs because of charges.
The joint government-Auckland City working group has also identified where congestion charges could be introduced.
It suggests the best zones would be a city centre cordon and along some "strategic corridor" routes - main roads.
The report says setting up charging along some strategic routes would be simple to develop and manage; it could also improve local air quality.
- RNZ
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