Govt in big transport push as queues form for petrol

A vastly increased commitment to road safety, public transport and competitive freight efficiency was promised by the Government yesterday when it released the Government Policy Statement (GPS) on Transport.

To achieve all three goals, there will be a renewed focus on both Auckland and the regions.

Meanwhile, there were queues at some petrol stations around the city as drivers looked to beat impending price rises.

Those price rises will come from new taxes announced by both the Government and the Auckland Council. Yesterday morning the council adopted its 10-year budget, which includes a regional fuel tax of 10 cents per litre (11.5 cents with GST). It will come into force on Sunday.

In the afternoon the Government’s GPS announcement included a nationwide rise in the excise levy, or fuel tax, of 3.5 cents per litre (4.025 cents with GST) for each of the next three years. The first rise will be imposed on October 1.

From that date, the average Auckland household will pay $3.80 more per week for petrol.

Those with the lowest 30 per cent of incomes will pay an average $2.26 more per week. Households with the highest 30 per cent of incomes will pay more than twice that: an average $4.79 more per week.

Both the Government and the council say the extra taxes will allow them to undertake what Finance Minister Grant Robertson has called “New Zealand’s largest ever 10-year plan for transport investment”.

Standing in the giant KiwiRail freight yards at Onehunga yesterday, Robertson promised “a long-term pipeline of transport projects that are fully funded”.

“The GPS prioritises linking production with distribution,” he said, “and that means a focus on freight.”

Transport minister Phil Twyford said that “for the first time” rail would be fully considered alongside roads when the Land Transport Fund was allocated by the NZ Transport Agency. “They will consider the merits of road and rail on a case-bycase basis and allocate the funds to whichever will do the job best.”

The Government would also “lift the standard of roads right across the country”, he said, adding that “the vast majority of serious crashes are on local roads”.

Associate transport minister Julie Anne Genter spelled out some of the detail of the increased commitment to road safety. She said $2 billion more would be spent on state highways with a focus on safety, and $800 million on local roads, also with a safety focus.

More median barriers and roadside barriers will be introduced for open roads, and some stretches may have lower speed limits too. There will be more roundabouts and other measures to make roads safer in builtup areas.

The Government has also made a 99 per cent boost to funds for promoting road safety and the use of public transport, cycling and walking.

Government spending on transport will rise from $3.6b in 2017/18 to $4b in 2018/19. By 2027/28 it will be $4.7b.