Transport boss suggests charge on Grafton Bridge

Auckland City's transport chairman believes charging motorists to use Grafton Bridge - as well as some other notorious traffic bottlenecks - may be better than closing it to general traffic during daylight hours.

Ken Baguley denied last night that his idea would amount to road tolls, saying it would be aimed purely at easing traffic congestion rather than raising revenue.

Motorists could be billed in an extended use of number-plate recognition technology due to be tested in Auckland this year as part of a red-light camera trial at 10 of the central city's most dangerous intersections.

His suggestion comes just a month before the council begins constructing its $40 million-plus bus corridor between Britomart and Newmarket, which includes closing Grafton Bridge to general traffic between 7am and 7pm each week day to give precedence to rapid public transport.