Smarter Transport Pricing project gets underway in Auckland

The New Zealand Government and Auckland Council have begun a project to investigate smarter transport pricing in Auckland.
June 9, 2017 Read time: 2 mins

The New Zealand Government and Auckland Council have begun a project to investigate smarter transport pricing in Auckland.

The Smarter Transport Pricing Project will undertake a thorough investigation to support a decision on whether or not to proceed with introducing pricing for demand management in Auckland. Officials from the Ministry of Transport, Auckland Council, Auckland Transport, the 6296 New Zealand Transport Agency, Treasury and the State Services Commission will work together and engage the public to develop and test different options.

The first stage of the project, which will lay the groundwork for assessing pricing options, is expected to be complete by the end of 2017. However, any decision on the use of a demand management tool like road pricing is still some years off, according to finance minister Steven Joyce.

Transport minister Simon Bridges commented that work undertaken last year by the Government and Auckland Council found that smarter transport pricing could help make a big difference in the performance of Auckland’s transport system. He said smarter transport pricing could involve varying what road users pay at different times and/or locations to better reflect where the cost of using the roads is higher (i.e. where there is congestion). This could encourage some users to change the time, route or way in which they travel.

“The Government has also made a clear undertaking that any form of variable pricing will be primarily used to replace the existing road taxes that motorists pay. This is about easing congestion, not raising more revenue,” said Bridges.

Charging, Tolling & RUC

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • PTV aids Polish city with traffic management
    June 11, 2015
    In an ongoing project, the eastern Polish city of Lublin is using software from the PTV Group to improve its traffic infrastructure. The City Council has set itself the goal of putting in place an intelligent transport system based on the latest technology and hopes to speed up the flow of traffic and encourage more people to switch to public transport. The plan is to improve the linkage between public transport provision and private transport, continue adapting timetables to meet passenger needs, reduce t
    Read More
  • The steep drop in fuel prices and its effect on transportation in India, US and UK
    February 17, 2016
    Industry insight from Steer Davies Gleave notes that increases in oil production and lower projected global demand growth for crude oil have contributed to declines in fuel prices, beginning in June 2014 and falling 70 per cent to the lowest point in January 2016. However, the impact of changing fuel prices is not uniform across transportation modes. For instance, in India, retail fuel prices have declined by only 20-25 per cent as a result of the central government increasing the excise duties to shore
    Read More
  • Small toll agency adopts big city thinking
    December 5, 2014
    Andrew Bardin Williams looks at a novel option for new toll road authorities. While somewhat politically controversial, outsourcing has gained traction in the business world as a model worth investigating for its efficiency and cost saving benefits. Lean start-ups tend to employ independent contractors instead of full-time employees in an effort to remain flexible and avoid costs associated with pensions, retirement places, health insurance, office space and benefit packages.
    Read More
  • V2V technologies expected to offer safety benefits, but challenges exist
    November 4, 2013
    A new report by the US Government Accountability office (GAO) expects vehicle to vehicle (V2V) technologies to offer safety benefits, but says that a variety of deployment challenges exist. The report finds that development of V2V technologies has progressed to the point of real world testing, and if broadly deployed, they are anticipated to offer significant safety benefits.
    Read More

Highlighted Content