The proposed regional fuel tax in Auckland is losing support, National's transport spokesperson Jami-Lee Ross has claimed.
Mr Ross' comments come as the Opposition hit the streets this morning to engage voters ahead of the Northcote by-election.
The controversial levy would raise petrol prices in the city by around 10 cents a litre on top of the government's planned nationwide petrol tax increase.
"We've got 21,000 ratepayers that have provided feedback to the council and we know that more people are opposed to the regional fuel tax than are in favour," Mr Ross said.
The council's website shows 48 per cent of those who made submissions on the fuel tax are against it, compared to 46 per cent in favour after support dropped four points from mid-March.
However, Auckland mayor Phil Goff says the figures are misleading.
"The submissions right up to the fourth week were exactly the same and we know that. There were just under 3,000 bulk submissions put in by one lobby group designed to skew the poll," Mr Goff said.
The lobby group, Auckland Ratepayers Alliance, claims it's their democratic right to skew the council's numbers.
A council-initiated phone poll shows more people accept the regional fuel tax is the best way to pay for congestion solutions.
"It's a remarkable result because in almost any poll where you ask people [if] they want to pay more for something, the default answer is 'no'," he said.
Generation Zero, one group in favour of the tax, concedes some will struggle.
"It's the most politically viable and efficient way we have to raise some money that we really need to fix Auckland's transport," Generation Zero's Leroy Beckett said.
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