Auckland's Northern Toll Road

[YellowDog]

Looks like motorcycles will be paying a toll as of Jan'.....

Huh ?

[cs363]

Huh ?

Thank everybody's friends (??) the AA: http://www.voxy.co.nz/business/aa-re...report/5/26450

[Maha]

Huh ?

Yes its true...''a zero toll for motorcycles is under review, with any change due to be known by the end of the year''

[p.dath]

Yes its true...''a zero toll for motorcycles is under review, with any change due to be known by the end of the year''

I seldom use the toll road when I'm on my bike. It's a really boring road to ride on.
If they did decide to start charging then I would probably continue using alternative routes - permanently. It's not worth the $2 to me. I get better value from not using it.

In fact, I'd be more likely to pay $2 to NOT ride on it.

[jono035]

I seldom use the toll road when I'm on my bike. It's a really boring road to ride on.
If they did decide to start charging then I would probably continue using alternative routes - permanently. It's not worth the $2 to me. I get better value from not using it.

In fact, I'd be more likely to pay $2 to NOT ride on it.

Depends on what your goal is really. Most of the time that I am heading up north then I'm driving for 4 hours anyway, I'd rather shave some off the time than make it more interesting... Hell, if it was dead flat, dead straight and with a 140 km/hr speed limit I'd be pretty happy.

[Mom]

The biggest laugh here is the statment from AA spokesman, Simon Lambourne that says

"Motorcycles equally benefit from the road's shorter travel time, the safer infrastructure and the fuel cost savings, so it's only fair for them to also pay the toll to use the road."

Fuel cost savings? Not sure when he last filled a bike, but $2 is a lot of gas in the blue lovelies tank. Frankly the old road is a better ride, but sadly restricted to 80kph for the most part. Here in Hazzard County plod loves nothing better than to ping the naughty biker for exceeding the posted limit. Beside which, the tunnels are cool for making noise in

[Rayray401]

You see, all the smart people with their business and law degrees have all gone to either aus or usa or somewhere with better job opportunities, nz is left with the people from polytechnic.....you wonder why no ones looked at the business side of things..

[Rayray401]

The biggest laugh here is the statment from AA spokesman, Simon Lambourne that says

"Motorcycles equally benefit from the road's shorter travel time, the safer infrastructure and the fuel cost savings, so it's only fair for them to also pay the toll to use the road."

Fuel cost savings? Not sure when he last filled a bike, but $2 is a lot of gas in the blue lovelies tank. Frankly the old road is a better ride, but sadly restricted to 80kph for the most part. Here in Hazzard County plod loves nothing better than to ping the naughty biker for exceeding the posted limit. Beside which, the tunnels are cool for making noise in

wait wait, so motorcycles need to pay the toll too now? i thought it was free?

[Mom]

wait wait, so motorcycles need to pay the toll too now? i thought it was free?

Motorcycles are still able to travel the road for no toll. Read the signs, they clearly say Motorbike $0. The fact that bikes are even mentioned on bloody great big roadside signs indicated that we would eventually be charged. It is being reviewed and a decision will be made before the end of the year on how much we will pay.

[Swoop]

"Motorcycles equally benefit from the road's shorter travel time, the safer infrastructure and the fuel cost savings, so it's only fair for them to also pay the toll to use the road."

But the wear and tear that a bike "inflicts" on the road surface is 0.
The AA are, once again, proving themselves to be retarded morons who want to play political gamesmanship.

When the signs went up with "Motorcycles = $0" the future was already set.

[munster]

We'll just all have to learn how to do this

[FastBikeGear]

If they do bring in a motorcycle toll I vote we all pay by phone so that it costs them 70 cents more than they collect per motorcycle.

....No wait this is a dumb protest idea because somewhere along the way it will just cost us extra in taxes, levies or other charges.

[gwigs]

I think if you commuted regularly and paid it in advance its the way to go.
But if you are only using it for one journey there and back I think you would be better off going the free scenic route and saving yourself time,money and hassle.
The time it takes to stop and pay and if theres a queue....paying online is a pain in arse as I found out.
Nope even being free on the bike I prefer the old route.

[SPman]

You see, all the smart people with their business and law degrees have all gone to either aus or usa or somewhere with better job opportunities,

And thank the gods for that - the more Lawyers and MBAs that fuck off overseas, the sooner NZ might get a chance to pull itself out from under the yoke without those parasites leeching it dry......

[vifferman]

....No wait this is a dumb protest idea because somewhere along the way it will just cost us extra in taxes, levies or other charges.

The thing is, already more is being collected in road user charges and special roading levies than is spent on the road infrastructure. If they merely directed more of it into the purpose it is supposedly being collected for, there would be no need for road tolls.

What I really can't understand is the dumbarses that queue for longer to pay their tolls at the machines than the time it would take to avoid the toll road and go the long way.

Still, the 'other way' is now very pleasant to drive on (I must make a pilgrimage with the bike one weekend soon). Shame so much of it is 80km/h. Why? Especially with the reduced traffic flow - it makes no sense! The problem is NOT that the road is inherently unsafe (it's a lovely road!) There needs to be some method for peramanently dealing with the retards that can't drive properly.