Adoption of the Penlink Tolling Strategy
The Council adopted the Penlink Tolling Strategy Consultation Report and the Penlink Tolling Strategy Hearings Panel Report in December 2006. The decision on a specific toll strategy was deferred until a series of educational sessions were held with the Council's funding partners, and until more could be learned about the features and costs of the proposed national Toll Systems Project (TSP).
The education sessions with the Council's funding partners and further research into toll collection costs and options have added clarity to certain issues. The combined result of these initiatives has produced a tolling strategy which is informed, robust and adds value to the Penlink project overall.
Read the full report below:
Penlink Update Report – December 2006
The Council received a number of independent reports on the Penlink project in early December 2006, including:
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the Penlink Tolling Strategy Consultation Report;
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the Penlink Tolling Strategy Independent Hearings Panel Report; and
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the Penlink Survey of Affected Communities.
These reports are key inputs to the Penlink business case and the funding arrangements under discussion with the Council’s public funding partners, Land Transport New Zealand and the Auckland Regional Transport Authority. The item below includes the above reports, comments thereon and a progress report on the funding arrangements, draft business case and the Order-in-Council application for Penlink.
Penlink update: October 17, 2006
Two major initiatives have commenced since our last update.
A. Penlink Tolling Strategy – Consultation Launch (click here to view)
Council launched a special consultative process on October 17, 2006 to gather and consider community views on who, how and when Council plans to set tolls for the Penlink toll route. The consultation also seeks feedback on the approach it proposes to take with a public private partner to design, construct, maintain and operate the proposed toll road.
This process is a requirement under the Land Transport Management Act, under which Council can receive authority to toll from an Order-in-Council issued by the Minister of Transport. The Minister can also issue an approval in principle for a tolling concession arrangement with a public private partner.
B. Funding application process
After a tour of the Penlink route by the Minister of Transport, the Hon. Annette King, in August 2006, the Minister announced a wish for her two departments, Transit New Zealand, and Land Transport New Zealand, to work with a designated official from her Ministry to allow Council to file a formal Order-in-Council application for tolling Penlink by Christmas 2006. Council has formed a project management team to coordinate all aspects of completing this programme on time.
The first plank in this programme was achieved with the adoption of the Long Term Council Community Plan 2006–2015. The Plan commits Council to develop the Penlink project as a toll road, with private finance, if required, to proceed with an Order-in-Council application to the Minister, and to seek the standard Financial Assistance Rate funding from Land Transport New Zealand. An update report on the current program was given to Council at the August 2006 Council Meeting. The next stage in the process is the tolling strategy consultation, which is described above. Discussions continue with Land Transport New Zealand over funding.
A comprehensive summary of Council direction on providing a solution to Peninsula access, can be found in the March 2005 report to Council: Peninsula Access Update 
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Transit New Zealand statement on Penlink 24 February 2005
Transit Recommends Time-Out on Penlink Project [media release] (22k)