Proposed tolling for Canterbury’s new Belfast to Pegasus Motorway and Woodend Bypass (B2P) strikes a balance between helping pay for much-needed infrastructure and minimising impacts on local communities, says New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA).

When built, the B2P project – one of the Roads of National Significance prioritised by the Government – will provide a 10km four-lane motorway extension north of Christchurch and a bypass that reduces the heavy traffic burden on State Highway 1 through the town of Woodend. The tolling proposal would see two tolling points (or gantries) introduced as part of the project, each charging $1.25 per passing light vehicle, and $2.50 for heavy vehicles.

Physical work on the B2P project is due to begin next year. The Government Policy Statement on land transport 2024 requires NZTA to consider tolling for all new Roads of National Significance. The investment case for the B2P project confirmed tolling was possible and the revenue would support the construction, maintenance and operation of the road.

“Six tolling options were considered when assessing tolling suitability for this project, and these included placing tolling points either north or south of the proposed Williams Street interchange at Pineacres, or at both sites,” says NZTA System Design Regional Manager, Rich Osborne.

“Our analysis showed a single tolling point charging $2.50 for light vehicles would generate higher revenue than two tolling points each charging $1.25. However, the single tolling point had greater potential for diverting significant volumes of traffic onto local (and untolled) roads and impacting local communities. The single tolling point options also raised issues of fairness, where residents of Woodend would either avoid paying a toll altogether, or paying the same toll as those using the entire length of the road.” 

“The proposal we settled on of two tolling points, one on each side of the Pineacres interchange, provides a balance between raising revenue to pay for the roading and managing the diversion of traffic into local communities.” 

The tolling proposal will be subject to public feedback from today and open until Tuesday 9 September.