New Zealand rental car company bans toll road use

A low-cost New Zealand rental car operator is prohibiting customers from using the country’s new Northern Gateway toll road, and has said that it will impose a fine of $500 on any customer in violation of the regulation.

Scotties Car Rentals has said that the 7.5km of highway isn’t any quicker than the old route passing through Orewa. Non-payment of the toll is causing problems for the company.

Keith Scott, the rental company director, noted that customers using the toll road will not be insured on that stretch of highway, and that they will be required to cover all administrative costs resulting from non-payment or late payments of tolls if they do use the road.

According to Scott, the amount would involve an additional $500 fee.

Scott added that the toll system was a frustration to the industry overall, and predicts that other rental operators will adopt a similar stance.

The Northern Gateway route was built at a cost of $365 million and opened at Anniversary Weekend. Motorists experienced considerable congestion at that weekend and then again at Waitangi Weekend.

Penny Webster, the Rodney District Mayor, has called the whole situation laughable.

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www.scotties.co.nz