Road Building Projects Fast Laned For Canterbury
May 22nd, 2008
A raft of long term roading network improvements for the greater Christchurch area have been announced with the Govt pumping $245m into almost exclusively road building. However there is sting in the tail with the funding package with Michael Cullen indicating motorists are likely to be asked to pay for much of the cost through a regional fuel tax.
Traffic Slowing. Environment Canterbury (ECan) says $178m could be raised from Canterbury motorists under the regional fuel tax, with two-thirds from Christchurch City drivers and one-third from other districts. The remaining $66m would be drawn from Canterbury authorities’ long-term spending plans. The money comes as traffic on key northern routes into Christchurch averages about 30km/h in the morning peak-hour. A Transit NZ study last year revealed some roads are more than 10km/h slower than when surveyed in 2006.
Fuel Tax Needed Urgently. ECan chairman Sir Kerry Burke says the sooner the regional fuel tax is introduced the better. “There is a certain amount of revenue we have to find by 2017-18, so the longer the delay in commencing the tax the more funding is required to be provided later in the decade.” Christchurch City Council Principal Transport Planner, Stuart Woods, agrees the fuel-tax shortfall needs to be urgently addressed. Christchurch Mayor, Bob Parker, says the funding means Christchurch can avoid the major traffic problems experienced by Auckland.
Copyright © Media Information Ltd
NZ Transport Intelligence Briefing
Amalgamated Dairies
Strait Shipping