Auckland transport funding

The Herald reports:

Aucklanders have two options to address the city’s transport funding gap: road tolls, or higher rates and fuel taxes.

That’s the conclusion of a high-level report, released this afternoon, which gives Auckland Council and the Government a clear timetable for when new revenue sources will be needed to raise an extra $400 million for each of 30 years – $12 billion in total.

The money will be for projects such as the City Rail Link and new roads, including another Waitemata Harbour crossing.

But Transport Minister Gerry Brownlee immediately ruled out two options.

“We say no to regional fuel tax and no to tolls on existing roads,” he told 3 News.

The report, by the Consensus Building Group (CBG), a 17-member think-tank appointed by Mayor Len Brown, concluded that unless Aucklanders were prepared to accept significantly higher rates increases and heavier congestion, introducing some form of congestion charge by 2021 would be required.

I think a congestion charge is the best form of funding, as it is basically user pays. The challenge is whether it can be done in an efficient way.