Ryan Bridge on the introduction of three new toll roads

It should come as no surprise to anyone, driving on our roads is about to get more expensive.

Simeon Brown's come out this afternoon and whacked tolls on 3 new highways or expressways.

Otaki to north of Levin -  $2.70 for a car. $5.40 for a truck.

Takitimu North Link - that's the Tauranga to Te Puna. 4 lanes. $2.10 off peak. $3.10 peak. Double that for trucks.

Penlink in Auckland - $2 off peak. $3 peak. Again.... trucks double.

These prices will increase with inflation.

This does not bother me at all, in fact, I welcome it.

If we keep relying on governments to fund infrastructure off their balance sheet with borrowing, we'll keep getting the same woeful results we have thus far.

Roads that are shoddy and unsafe.

Roads that aren't big enough or wide enough.

And not enough roads being built to drive regional economic growth.

The last government cancelled a bunch of RONS and put some of that money into public transport instead.

Hopefully if

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Should come as no surprise to absolutely anyone that driving
on our roads is about to get more expensive. So
men Brown, he came out this afternoon. He's whacking tolls
on three new highways and expressways, all Taki two north
of Livin. That total will be two dollars seventy for
a car, and any toll that you hear about double
it for a truck, by the way, so it's about

(00:21):
five point forty for a truck. The Taketimu North Link,
this is totaling a two tapoona four lanes, two dollars
ten off peak, three ten for peak. PenLink in Auckland,
that's two dollars during peak and sorry, two dollars off
peak and three dollars peak again double it for trucks.
And these prices they announced today are going to increase

(00:41):
with inflation. This does not bother me one bit. In fact,
I'm happy about this. If we keep relying on governments
to fund infrastructure off their balance sheets with borrowing, we
will keep getting the same woeful results that we have
thus far. Roads that are shoddy and unsafe, roads that
aren't big enough for y enough, and not enough roads

(01:02):
being built to drive the regional economic growth that this
country so desperately needs. The last government canceled a bunch
of rons the roads of national significance, and put some
of that money into public transport. Now, hopefully if a
road has a toll attached to it, it'll be much
harder to justify them doing that and when they get
back into office. What we don't yet know from the

(01:24):
government is whether existing roads, Yes, existing roads will be
told because I don't think it's fair to do that.
The government has changed the rules to allow tolling of
existing roles roads if a new corridor or extension is
being added to it, but it hasn't yet been very
specific in today's announcement. Does that mean the whole road

(01:45):
or just the new bit. They need to clarify this
because it's hardly fair if you have bought a house
and you commute, and you've done your sums on your
commute and how you get to work and how you
get home on the basis that it wasn't told and
they turn around and whack you with a charge, that's
not fair. Apart from that, on the whole I say,

(02:05):
build the roads, we'll pay for them, just get it done.

Speaker 2 (02:09):
For more from Hither Duplessy Allen Drive. Listen live to
news talks. It'd be from four pm weekdays, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio