Penlink toll against ministry advice

Former Transport Minister Michael Wood’s decision to toll the O Mahurangi Penlink road, made earlier this year, has come under fire following the public release of contrary advice he received from his own ministry.

Information released under the Official Information Act reveals that Ministry of Transport officials told the former minister last year that Waka Kotahi’s business case, the way it undertook consultation and the lack of public support, meant the toll proposal failed three of the four statutory tests under the Land Transport Management Act Section 48.

Despite this advi...