Traffic Congestion

[myvice]

There’s a traffic problem?
Can’t be!
I travel to Auckland from Manurewa (26k's) every day and it only takes me about 1/2 an hour.
Once it took me nearly 45 minuets but that’s pretty rare...


Why do people sit in those big inert metal boxes on the road tho?
You think they would be out riding or something?

[MD]

Good to see the media might be waking up. DomPost ran a story on scooters as an alternative to gas guzzlers on Friday with input from WMCC and Motorad. Then tonight TV1 News ran a similar "scooters are good and cheap'' spot with a story on a Mum and Daughter who have both switched to a scooter. More people riding scoots can only be good for us. Some will get hooked and buy more bikes. Keep that petrol price rising - just long enough to start the movement though.

[The Stranger:Me]

As far as i am aware there are three separate levies which the whole country pays to help Auckland's transport woes.

The first is a petrol levy which was imposed many years ago to pay for a fuel pipeline from Marsden Point to Auckland. The assurance given at the time was that fuel would cost less to transport to Auckland and the whole country would see cheaper fuel costs as a result. That is why we, in Central Otago, pay almost 10 cents/litre more than Dorklanders. Although the pipeline is well and truely paid for now, the levy has never been removed.

The second levy is an Auckland Motorway levy imposed about 4 years ago. Also never removed.

The latest is an Auckland congestion levy which is quite recent. However to be fair, only a portion of this money is going to Auckland and other areas are also getting some benefit. However Auckland is getting much more per km of road than any other area.

The fuel pipeline is an infrustructure issue, it in no way helps Auckland's traffic issues. My post was about road traffic not sea traffic.

As to levies imposed but not removed, it is no secret that the govt takes what it wants and continues to do so despite what you and I say. I would welcome your explanation as to how the govt stealing our money is Auckland's fault. The theives are in Wellington and hey I sure didn't vote for them.

Conveniently you choose to use the of length of road.
What does length of raod have to do with anything?
The Auckland region at last census had 31.3% of the population and the growth rate for all centres in Auckland was greater than the national average. That trend is projected to continue and is in all probability 33% by now. Could you not work out that the cost of maintaining a raod is affected by the volume of traffic on it.

An analysis of the National Traffic Database conducted in 1996 shows that the money collected from the Auckland region exceeded expenditure in the Auckland region by 132% (highest equal with Cantabury)
By contrast areas like Otugo and southland only paid only about 70% of the money expended some much less.

Now did you hear Aucklanders bleating about paying for the rest of the country or calling you disparaging names. You guys need to get out and ride more, loosen up a bit, try and overcome your insecurities and phobias about Aucklanders and realise that it is a case of swings and roundabouts.