Subscribe to RSSMotorbikes Now Get Tolled
Motorcyclists will have no more free rides - they are to get tolled for using the Northern Gateway Toll Road on SH1 1 north of Auckland.
Tolling motorcyclists is a matter of fairness, says the NZTA’s Regional Director for Auckland and Northland, Wayne McDonald.
When the toll road opened in January 2009, the toll for motorcycles was set at zero pending a review of the appropriate tariff.
It’s been decided motorcyclists will pay, from mid year, $2 per trip, the same tariff that applies to cars and other light vehicles (heavy vehicles over 3.5 tonnes pay $4 per trip).
“Motorcyclists receive similar benefits from using the toll road as other motorists in terms of time savings and safer journeys, and introducing a toll that is the same as that for cars will be fairer for everyone,” Mr McDonald said.
The number of motorcycle trips on the Northern Gateway Toll Road from its opening until 31 December 2009 was 51, 000, representing just over one percent of all trips on the road.
8 Comments
And out of this “fairness” he talks about, how about trucks pay $10 considering they do more damage than a car or motorbike?
Why is the NZTA not being “fair” to the trucking industry?
Plain and simple, this is bullshit.
What has BRONZ got to say about it?
I’ll just pay by mobile phone knowing that it costs $2.70 for them to process each transaction.
We need to protest like they do in France at the recently proposed ‘no filtering’ law. 10,000 bikers took to the motorway and took the space of a car, showing the government what would happen.
[...] April 27, 2010 by scootnz Motorbikes Now Get Tolled [...]
This makes zero sense. What non-sense! Rip-off.
The burden to the road (reason for raising tolls) of a bike compared to a car is minimal.
Again motorcyclists are easy targets. I think it’s time to do something about this constant hounding by ACC, WCC, Toll,….
Oliver, the ‘burden to the road’ (i.e. maintenance) is paid for through the usual means of petrol tax and general taxation.
The reason for raising the tolls is to pay for part of the construction cost of the motorway in the first place, in this case to allow it to be built now rather than a decade down the track without tolls. So motorcyclists should have to pay some toll as they enjoy the use of the new road like anyone else, the impact of bikes vs cars vs trucks on the road is a separate matter.
I agree, you use it you pay, if you dont like there is another route…
i am a motorcycle fan and i am a collector too. motorcycles are really beautiful and a great mode of transport.;“