The price of using Tauranga's Route K toll road will rise today – by 50 cents for a car and $1 for heavy motor vehicles.
The toll increase for cars is from $1.50 to $2, and for heavy motor vehicles from $4 to $5.
Route K tolls rise from today.
Today's toll increases are also triggering a boycott from many twin axle trucks that use the toll road. They are now considered heavy motor vehicles and will pay an increase from twin axle level of $1.50 to $5.
Truck driver Sean Spalding flagged the issue last month, saying today's toll increase will increase his costs from $36 a month, to $120 a month.
If the 200-300 twin axle city delivery trucks that use the road daily also boycott the toll road, the net effect will be a noticeable drop in income for the Tauranga City Council, says Sean.
The change in category for trucks comes about because council changed classifications to align with New Zealand Transport Agency for when the city gives the road to the government next year.
The city council's classification by axle numbers, which allows 10 tonne trucks to be considered cars because they have the same number of axles, has changed in line with the national standards. It rates anything vehicle requiring a class 2 licence or more, as a heavy motor vehicle.
Trailers remain free.
4 comments
Crazy
Posted on 01-07-2014 09:55 | By DCG
You seriously have to wonder if the Council have studied the volume of traffic through the tolls from late evening to early morning (revenue) vs the cost of operating the gates during those hours. I would suggest they would be doing very, very well to break even. I know lets raise the tolls.....problem solved.
More Tolls
Posted on 01-07-2014 10:55 | By YOGI BEAR
Here we go ... watch this space for the same loss from tolls that sooner or later TCC ratepayers will have to pay from more rates.
Relocate council offices to K road
Posted on 01-07-2014 15:22 | By The Tomahawk Kid
Is this the councils best effort? Is this the total sum of their collective brainpower and imagination? I avoid using this road at every opportunity. I hope everybody else does too The mindless, unimaginitive stupidity of the council to even think this is a good idea - is astounding. The councillors cant have 2 braincells to rub together between them all if this is the best they can do to increase revenue. Relocate the council offices to K road and make the stupid ones pay it off themselves.
Why
Posted on 01-07-2014 16:52 | By What now
I drive a car and use the toll road a lot. Not anymore. Can run down Fraser Street just as cheap and hardly any lights. If they decreased it more people would use it. They just get people using it and up the prices go again and so people stop. Lets look at councillors next election who aren't prepared to increase the cost. I believe in toll roads. User pays but this is just getting out of hand.
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