Summarised by Centrist
Columnist Brian Easton writes that while Transport Minister Simeon Brown has announced the introduction of congestion pricing to reduce traffic and fund road investment, actually implementing it is another story.
Easton writes that historically, congestion pricing has faced major hurdles. Previous attempts, like Maurice Williamson’s GPS-based proposal 25 years ago, failed due to high costs and privacy concerns.
The core idea is to charge drivers for road use during peak congestion, much like toll roads but with a focus on reducing traffic. Auckland businesses might benefit, as reduced congestion would boost productivity, but resistance from everyday commuters could be fierce.
He comments that: “A particular group of grumblers will be those whose jobs require them to turn up or leave during the congestion period even if they cannot afford the extra payments; the scheme will amount to a wage cut.”
Politically, Easton argues that it’s probably better to leave implementation to local authorities rather than centralise the effort. This is to avoid stoking a narrative that the fees are little more than Wellington tax grab.
However, Easton admits: “I am not expecting a fully effective congestion pricing regime to be up and running anywhere soon.”
