The Land Transport Management Act 2003 (LTMA) permits the establishment of road tolling schemes. Tolling funds can only pay for the planning, design, supervision, construction, maintenance or operation (or any combination of these activities) of a new road. NZTA assesses all new state highway links for tolling potential, including O Mahurangi – Penlink.
Land Transport Management Act(external link)
The Government is only funding the planning and construction of the project through additional crown funding as a Road of Regional significance. Ongoing maintenance and operations cost could be funded from tolling revenue. Additional benefits to tolling include better performance across the transport network.
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NZTA began assessing the potential suitability of tolling the new State Highway 19 (O Mahurangi – Penlink) in 2021. Between 17 January and 13 February 2022 NZTA consulted with the public on a proposed tolling scheme for the new road. NZTA received 3,337 submissions from the community and stakeholders, and after careful consideration of the feedback, amended the tolling proposal, lowering the toll rates for end-to-end peak trips to address concerns that the rates were too high, and reducing the number of toll points to improve efficiency of the tolling scheme.
The improved tolling scheme proposal, including all submissions, was provided to the Minister of Transport in April 2022.
As outlined in the 2024 Government Policy Statement on Transport, the Government will support all tolling recommendations by the NZTA to deliver infrastructure that reduces travel times for New Zealanders. No decisions have yet been made on tolling O Mahurangi – Penlink at this time.
A free, untolled route will be available for all road users.
Penlink toll modelling report [PDF, 6.1 MB]
This report analyses options and impacts of tolling O Mahurangi – Penlink.
Ministerial Briefing Note BRI 2330 – Proposed tolling scheme for Penlink [PDF, 845 KB]
This briefing recommends consulting of the proposed toll for the new highway to the Minister of Transport.
Penlink tolling scheme proposal [PDF, 1.9 MB]
This report sets out the proposed tolling scheme, including improvements following public consultation.
Attachment BRI-2453: Penlink implementation business case [PDF, 3.5 MB]
This document is the implementation business case which provides details on both a tolled and untolled option, including effects of tolling on project objectives and wider Government strategic priorities for transport.
Public feedback report: Penlink tolling scheme proposal [PDF, 1.2 MB]
This report provides an overview of the consultation process and the key themes from submissions on the proposed tolling scheme for O Mahurangi.
Public consultation submissions [PDF, 2.8 MB]
This document provides the public submissions on the tolling scheme that was proposed in 2022.
NZTA Board paper [PDF, 805 KB]
This paper presented to the NZTA Board in April 2022 (and associated minutes) outlined the final tolling scheme proposal for O Mahurangi.
Ministerial Briefing Note BRI-2454 – Proposed tolling scheme for Penlink [PDF, 1.2 MB]
This briefing provided the proposed tolling scheme to the Minister of Transport for his consideration.
This briefing provided a response raised by the Minister of Transport on the proposed tolling scheme.
For general information on tolling, visit www.nzta.govt.nz/roads-and-rail/toll-roads/toll-road-information/frequently-asked-questions/general/
Tolling revenue could pay for ongoing maintenance and operations costs and would result in better performance across the wider transport network compared to not tolling the road.
The Government is funding the planning and construction of the project through additional crown funding as a Road of Regional significance. Ongoing maintenance and operations cost could be funded from the tolling revenue.
State Highway 19 will be a connecting road serving specific communities rather than part of the national network. Built over challenging terrain and including a significant 540m long bridge crossing the Wēiti River, the ongoing costs of maintaining the road and operating it, to optimise public transport and general traffic, are expected to be higher than the standard costs for a connector road of this type.
A tolled State Highway 19 would improve the road user experience on the two-lane road. It would reduce travel time by 22 – 26 minutes during morning and afternoon peak hours, when compared to a 'no build' scenario.
Tolling would also provide positive sustainable outcomes like lower carbon emissions and a safer road environment.
Variable tolling means different toll prices for off-peak and peak hours*. Variable tolling helps people make choices about the time they travel, and therefore the toll price they pay. People can still access free alternative routes if they do not want to pay the toll.
Variable tolling also allows better management of the transport network, reduces travel times during peak hours, and more consistent operation of transport networks.
*Proposed peak hours: 6am to 9am and 4pm to 7pm, Monday to Friday. Any time outside of those hours are proposed as off-peak hours (including Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays).
NZTA consulted on a proposed tolling scheme for O Mahurangi – Penlink between 17 January and 13 February 2022.
Many suggestions were made by respondents, including:
There was a good response to the tolling consultation with 3,337 responses from the community and stakeholders. Of the responses, 37% (1,235 people) supported tolling – this was made up of 20.5% supporting it as proposed and 16.5% supporting tolling with changes to the proposal.
60% (2,002) of respondents did not support tolling.
Public feedback report [PDF, 1.2 MB]
Public consultation submissions [PDF, 2.8 MB]
Feedback was analysed and used to improve the proposed tolling scheme. As outlined in the Government Policy Statement on Transport, the Government will support all tolling recommendations by the NZTA to deliver infrastructure that reduces travel times for New Zealanders.
No decisions have yet been made on tolling O Mahurangi - Penlink at this time.
Toll points are the gantry structures with number-plate recognition cameras to allocate the appropriate toll price.
Yes, the Land Transport Management Act (2003) requires that a feasible and free alternative route is available.
People in the Whangaparāoa Peninsula could still use Whangaparāoa Road to access SH1 via the Silverdale Interchange and Stillwater residents could access Duck Creek Road as an alternative route.
NZTA assesses and reviews the toll rates regularly and may make changes over time. Toll prices are based on the revenue collected against the expected ongoing expenses for maintaining and operating the road.
Yes. The toll modelling considered growth in the Wēiti Precinct, Milldale, Dairy Flat and other future developments.
If you have any other questions, contact us at OMahurangi@nzta.govt.nz or 0800 PENLINK (0800 7365 465).
