KEY POINTS:
Government officials aided by private consultants are about to make another attempt at raising the flag of "congestion charges" to coax Aucklanders out of their cars and on to buses, trains or ferries at peak times.
Although just 25 per cent of 800 submissions in a $2.3 million study last year indicated support for such a scheme, business organisations and transport user groups such as the Automobile Association are about to be canvassed in a follow-up exercise approved by Transport Minister Annette King at an added cost of almost $1.5 million.
The Ministry of Transport will hold a consultation session in Auckland next week to bring the organisations up to date, with work expected to continue until March on two theoretical models, one aimed primarily at reducing congestion and the other at raising revenue from motorists to improve public transport.
Its move comes as Parliament prepares to consider legislation allowing regional councils to raise special fuel taxes of up to 10c a litre to pay for public transport improvements, including Auckland rail electrification.
Despite the low level of support for congestion charges of $5 to $10 a day, ministry officials claimed last year that fewer than 20 per cent rejected the idea out of hand.
They said many Aucklanders indicated more enthusiasm for such charges if there were better public transport alternatives to private cars.
Principal ministry adviser Chris Money confirmed yesterday that consultants were also working on the possibility of a lower charging regime, to be capped at $3 a day, aimed primarily at raising revenue for public transport rather than battling congestion.
The project is being managed by international consultancy Deloitte, which has been deeply involved in implementing road charges in London and Stockholm, where traffic volumes have declined by up to 20 per cent and congestion by 30 per cent.
Its London project manager, Simon Dixon, said from Wellington yesterday that such schemes had very long lead times and he was not discouraged by the reaction of Aucklanders.
He said public support in London and Stockholm for congestion charges had been even lower than in Auckland before being introduced.
But London Mayor Ken Livingstone was re-elected in 2004 after his constituents discovered how much easier it was to travel through the centre of the city on improved bus services, while breathing cleaner air.
Opposition to charges was also high in Stockholm before a trial scheme was introduced last year, followed by a referendum.
He said that was because citizens had been shown the congestion-easing results of the trial, which were reversed when it was put on hold before the referendum.
The scheme won overwhelming support in the referendum and survived a change of Government before being reintroduced on a permanent basis this year.
The reverse was the case in Edinburgh, where a referendum held without a trial put an end to a charging proposal.
"The moral is to do a trial and let people see the impact and then ask them what they think," Mr Dixon said.
"But if you ask them up-front, you are pretty much guaranteed a 'no'."
WHAT IS IT?
* A congestion charge forces motorists to pay to drive on busy city roads at peak times.
* The Ministry of Transport suggested five possible options for Auckland last year - including a London-style fee to enter the city centre.
* 75 per cent of people who responded opposed the idea.
