Tolling is fair, another road tax isn’t

The Taxpayers’ Union is welcoming the Minister’s commitment to a fair, user-pays approach to transport funding, but warns against the Government’s new “corridor tolling” proposal slipping into a new tax.

Taxpayers’ Union spokesman, James Ross, said:

“Tolling and congestion charging to manage peak-time pressure and pay for new roads make sense when they’re fair and revenue-neutral. By any honest definition, that means cutting Road User Charges to offset the new costs facing commuters.”

“International examples like Singapore show a light-touch system can keep traffic flowing without hammering households, and it makes tax relief through reduced RUCs realistic.”

"If the Government wants taxpayers on side for these reforms, it needs to stay true to its current approach. Keep charges low, keep them revenue-neutral, and charge people only for the infrastructure they actually use. The moment corridor tolling charges drivers for roads they don’t use, it stops being user-pays."