The problem is priorities, not funding

Stuff reports:

The use of thin asphalt for resurfacing roads has almost doubled since 2018, which ACT says shows the Government is doing more road resurfacing jobs “that aren’t built to last”. …

Greenwood said the question for road users was if they were willing to pay more in order to fund an increase in road maintenance.

“Fundamentally, it comes down to a discussion of service levels – road users can’t expect a five-star service if they are only willing to pay for a three-star service. The potholes of this past winter are a good means of adding to that discussion of what is acceptable, and what isn’t”.

If all of the money paid my motorists was spent on roads, then it would be fair enough to say we need to pay more, to fix the potholes. But it isn’t.

The 2023/24 planned spend for the National Land Transport Fund is $4.9 billion of which only $2.6 billion is marked for roads. So barely 50% of petrol taxes and road user charges go on roads.

I don’t advocate the spend on roads should be 100% of the NLTF, but it should be say at least 80%.