Transport charge to hit wallets

By BERNARD ORSMAN and MATHEW DEARNALEY

Residents in the Auckland region face a new public-transport rate of about $150 a year as the region's politicians consider a law change to bill motorists in the central city.

The Auckland Regional Council is looking to introduce a separate new "passenger transport rate" when it starts billing ratepayers directly for the first time in July.

In another move to reduce gridlock, Auckland City Mayor John Banks is canvassing a central-city congestion tax of up to $20 a day.

Although the new public-transport rate will vary throughout the region, an owner of a $300,000 property in Auckland City can expect to pay about $270 in ARC levies when general services and biosecurity charges are added. The current ARC levy in Auckland City is about $110.

ARC chief executive Jo Brosnahan said the extra cost was to pay for a 57.7 per cent rise in public transport costs, mainly due to rail costs which are soaring from $10.4 million to $25.4 million with the expansion of the regional network. Bus and ferry costs have also risen by $5 million to $29.7 million.

Mr Banks said the transport rate was just the start of a series of "rude shocks" as property owners were asked to pay for improved rail and bus services.

But he said public transport alone would never solve congestion and measures such as a congestion tax, road tolls and a regional petrol tax would be needed to complete Auckland's motorway network.

The Auckland Mayoral Forum is lobbying the Government for changes in proposed legislation to allow "congestion" charges like in London, where Mayor Ken Livingstone last month introduced a daytime charge of £5 ($14) for motorists entering the central city.

Changes were needed to the Land Transport Management Bill to make private investment in new roads more attractive, Mr Banks said.

Jo Brosnahan said the ARC would decide its new rating system on March 24 before calling for public submissions between March 31 and May 3.

ARC levies have been collected by the seven Auckland local councils.

The proposal would see general and biosecurity charges set at $40 for every $100,000 of capital value, plus a transport rate ranging from $22 for every $100,000 of capital value in Franklin to $56 in Waitakere.

Property owners in areas without subsidised bus or rail services will pay only the general and biosecurity rates.

Auckland City households already face a rates increase of between 5.4 per cent and 7.5 per cent, although Mr Banks insists the overall rate take, including that from businesses, will be kept within the projected 2.4 per cent inflation rate.

Proposed transport rates on a $300,000 property per year

Auckland City $141

Manukau City $126

Papakura City $132

Franklin District $66

North Shore City $105

Waitakere City $168

Rodney District $99