Tauranga Tolling Undermined by Bureaucratic Bloat

The Taxpayers’ Union is calling for the NZTA bureaucracy to be slashed, before tolling and congestion charging are rolled out nationwide, after Tauranga Councillor Steve Morris claimed that 80 cents of each $1.10 toll charge on the Pāpāmoa East Interchange would cover administration costs.

Taxpayers’ Union Communications Officer, Ella Dickson, says:

“Reasonable tolling makes sense – road users who benefit should pay for new infrastructure. However, the numbers on the Pāpāmoa East Interchange toll show that’s not what Pāpāmoa residents can expect.”

“Most of the 3,400 submitters opposed this toll. Is it any wonder when three quarters of every dollar collected goes straight to bureaucracy, with local businesses and drivers left to pick up the tab?”

“With tolling and congestion charging being rolled out nationwide, the Government needs to get on top of the administrations costs first. Tolling can’t just become a job creation scheme for NZTA pencil-pushers.”