Media release: The New Zealand Initiative Releases Major Report On Transport Funding Reform
Wellington (Tuesday, 9 July 2024) -
The New Zealand Initiative’s report proposes a comprehensive reform of the country's transport funding model. The report, Driving Change: How Road Pricing Can Improve Our Roads, authored by Senior Fellow Dr Matthew Birchall, argues that the current fuel tax based system is outdated and unfair.
Key points:
- The report proposes a new "Smart Road User Charges" (Smart RUC) system to replace the current fuel excise duty.
- Under Smart RUC, all vehicles would be charged based on actual road usage, time of day, and vehicle type.
- The proposed system aims to reduce congestion, improve road maintenance, and ensure a fairer distribution of costs.
- A five-year implementation plan is outlined, allowing for a gradual transition.
"Transporting New Zealand, the national road freight association, welcomes the New Zealand Initiative’s report on comprehensive road pricing," says Billy Clemens, Policy & Advocacy Lead at Transporting New Zealand. "Increasing levels of congestion and the declining state of our roading network are disrupting the supply chain and restricting economic growth. It also makes achieving safety and emissions improvements difficult. We need innovative policy solutions that make our roading network function better for everyone."
The report addresses common concerns about road pricing, including privacy and equity issues, and draws on successful international examples from cities like Singapore and Stockholm.
"This is not just about raising revenue," Dr Birchall adds. "It's about creating a more efficient, sustainable, and fair transport system for all New Zealanders."
The New Zealand Initiative calls on policymakers to seriously consider this proposal as a solution to the country's growing transport funding crisis.
This report will be launched on our webinar today at 3 pm, which you can register for here.
A copy of Driving Change: How Road Pricing Can Improve Our Roads is attached to this email and is available on the New Zealand Initiative website here.
ENDS
Dr Matthew Birchall is available for comment. To schedule an interview, please contact:
Jamuel Enriquez, Marketing and Communications Manager
E: jamuel.enriquez@nzinitiative.org.nz
P: 021 022 34451
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About The New Zealand Initiative
The New Zealand Initiative is an evidence-based think tank and research institute contributing to public policy discussion.
Supported by the nation’s leading visionaries, business leaders and political thinkers, we are committed to making New Zealand a better country for all its citizens with a world-class education system, affordable housing, a healthy environment, sound public finances and a stable currency.
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