Review pits motorists against truckies
May 14th, 2009
Transport Minister, Steven Joyce, sums up the issues raised by the review of Road User Charges (RUCs) as “unexploded ordnance left over from the previous Govt.” Five major groups are lobbying over the way roading costs are apportioned between road users. “I’m hearing the full 360 degrees of opinion,” says Joyce, who has asked officials to report back by June on the independent review of RUCs. Joyce favours some form of RUC being retained. “The world’s probably going more to the road user charges.”
Joyce sees merit in requiring six weeks notice of any increase in RUC rates, as the review recommends, giving transport operators enough time to plan their business and costs. But he warns there are potential risks to the system. This has touched a nerve with the Automobile Association, which has accused the heavy freight industry of making “outrageous bulk RUC purchases” whenever they’ve got wind of previous rate increases.
What’s pitting motorist groups against truckies is the surge in the number of diesel vehicles under 5 tonnes which would face higher charges under the recommendations. According to one estimate diesel vehicles of less than 5 tonnes will account for about 20% of the NZ fleet by 2015.
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