Transport funding debate must focus on benefits – AA

If Auckland Council is to convince the public to pay more to develop new transport projects, it must focus the funding debate on the benefits to users, the AA says.

The AA’s comments follow the proposal today by the Council’s Independent Advisory Body (IAB) of two alternative funding pathways for transport projects in Auckland: one based on motorway usage charge; and the other on increases to existing funding sources (rates and fuel taxes, mainly).

AA spokesman Barney Irvine said there is still a lot of uncertainty around the public’s readiness to take on extra costs, regardless of the form they come in.

“When Auckland AA Members are asked to choose between a motorway toll and an increase in rates and fuel taxes, there’s a clear preference for the toll,” said AA spokesman Barney Irvine. “But overshadowing this is a deep-seated concern about the impact on household budgets that any new costs will have.”

Mr Irvine said that public awareness of transport issues was still relatively low, and that the Council’s focus now needed to go on explaining the benefits.
“People need to understand exactly what they’ll get for their money,” he said. “That means talking about concrete outcomes in terms of de-congestion, travel time savings and increased mobility.”

Mr Irvine said the AA welcomed the debate that the IAB report would generate, and would do a thorough review of the proposal before taking a position on funding pathways.

“This is the start of the debate, not the end point. Over the next few months, we’ll be having an in-depth look at what the IAB has come up with, and asking our Members about what exactly they’re prepared to fund, and how they want to fund it. As always, the devil will be in the detail.”

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