The ACT Party says some new roads could be funded by private investors, who could then recoup that cost with a toll.
It's a new announcement from the party, which polled 12% in the latest 1News Verian poll - enough to secure about 15 seats in Parliament.
Making the announcement today in Christchurch, ACT leader David Seymour said the state of New Zealand's roads showed relying on taxes to maintain them didn't work.
"ACT’s ambitious plan would change the way infrastructure is planned and funded, by inviting private partners from home and around the world to build infrastructure beyond what the Government can afford.
There were updates across the political spectrum on a jam-packed Sunday. (Source: 1News)
“New Zealand’s roads are woeful because nearly all new roads rely on excise tax for funding and Government debt for financing. This method of funding and financing means projects don’t get built if the Government can’t afford them, even though they may be needed and profitable."
He said ACT's policy would set 30-year infrastructure plans between the Government and councils in each region of the country.
"If the Government cannot afford every road people want, then investors and builders from around the world will be invited to build it and toll it for a specified period before it is handed back to the Government."
He said an example, Penlink - a new seven-kilometre, two-lane highway connecting the State Highway 1 (SH1) to the Whangaparāoa Peninsula, north of Auckland - was a very valuable asset to the people of Whangaparāoa.
But it was "only just being built now".
“It could have been built and paid for thirty years ago if this policy existed back then. There are projects all over New Zealand that could be built sooner under this model."
“New Zealand’s road network is straining under the weight of population growth. Congestion costs us billions of dollars each year and the number of potholes is growing quicker than they can be repaired. But the cost of delivering new roads and maintaining existing roads is high.
“Its little wonder Kiwis are finding their roads are falling apart."
He said ACT's proposal would introduce "a world-class toll roading system".
“It will use private sector financing and expertise to get new roads built faster and to maintain existing roads quicker and more effectively. Overseas countries like Ireland have successfully made extensive use of tolling.
“Under a world-class toll roading system, New Zealanders will have a choice: make use of new toll roads much sooner or wait for tax-funded roads to be delivered later or never.”
Seymour said traffic congestion cost the economy hundreds of millions of dollars each year.
“Plumbers who once did four jobs a day can now only do three because they’re stuck on the Auckland motorway network. Freight, which used to take six hours to get from Lyttleton Port to Queenstown, might now take seven. These costs add up and are baked into the price of everything in New Zealand.
“Increasing the level of private sector funding will inject much-needed discipline into decision-making while allowing the Government to maintain prudent levels of public debt."
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