A Pāpāmoa resident is taking his opinions on toll roads to Parliament.

Ian Young is retired, and spends his time volunteering at Classic Flyers in Tauranga.

But he is growing frustrated with the ongoing cost of toll roads in the city he calls home, and says it is 'unfair” Tauranga houses two of the three roads which cost to drive on in New Zealand.

His view comes as a Waka Kotahi spokesperson tells SunLive Tauranga's two toll roads have earned more than $90 million from motorists.

Ian says one particular toll road, Takitimu Drive, is a 'B-grade road” while there are 'superior expressways and motorways” which are toll free.

He has put his opinion forth to Parliament, which currently has 25 days left to gather signatures before being addressed to the House of Representatives.

The 78-year-old retiree says it is important people's opinions are heard. Photo: Supplied/SunLive.

"Plenty of people in this city feel the same. Plenty of people in Tauranga believe it is unfair we have two of the three toll roads,” says Ian.

Ian's number one reason for starting the petition is to figure out 'why Tauranga is being targeted” in regards to toll roads.

He first reached out to an MP who suggested he start a petition to bring to Parliament.

Ian says he understands why toll roads are put in place, but suggests it is 'unfair” to have toll roads in place when they are inferior quality to other new highway projects.

'If there is a toll on a road, there should be a minimum quality standard it has to meet. Any road which meets the standard should carry a toll. The money from this should be used to maintain the roads and go towards future projects, however the toll roads we do have would not meet the quality standard.

'What are we paying our taxes on our petrol purchases for? It's a double hit. We pay a tax on our petrol purchases, a lot more than other countries, which is supposed to go towards roads and highways.

'When you look at the Takitimu Drive, it makes you wonder why you are paying for it in the first place. I see road workers there, but it seems like the things they're working on is gardens and cycle lanes rather than the surface work.”

Ian says he doesn't expect a 'positive outcome” from the Parliamentary petition, but he thinks it is 'important peoples opinions are heard”.

While consulting the Tauranga public in 2009, Waka Kotahi says there was considerable support for toll roads. Photo: File/SunLive.

According to a Waka Kotahi spokesperson, there was 'considerable public support” for toll roads in Tauranga.

'For example, in 2009, public were consulted on whether they supported the Tauranga Eastern Link being a toll road so construction to start up to 10 years earlier," says the Waka Kotahi spokesperson.

'Tolling received significant community support, with 92 per cent voting conditional and unconditional.

'There are free alternative routes available for those who do not want to pay a toll for using these roads.”

Waka Kotahi says there is no debt in relation to Takitimu Drive, as the organisation paid $65 million to purchase the road from Tauranga City Council, which they are currently 'recovering with national interest from toll revenues”.

From financial years 2015/16 to 2020/21, Tauranga's toll roads have earned approximately $90,536,000.

For Tauranga's Eastern Link, the road has earned $44,200,000 in this period. Approximately $29,593,000 is being used to repay debt, principal and interest for the road, while $14,607,000 is being used by Waka Kotahi to operate toll business.

Image: SunLive.

Takitimu Drive earned a total of $46,336,000 between financial years 2015/16 to 2020/21.

Around $30,516,000 is being used to repay the debt, principal and interest, while $15,820,000 is being used to operate the toll business.

Waka Kotahi first purchased Takitimu Drive from Tauranga City Council for $65 million. By currently modelling, this is expected to be paid off by 2031.

Tauranga Eastern Link is expected to be paid off by 2040 by current modelling.

The organisation is also considering further toll roads, including Ōtaki to North of Levin and the Takitimu North project.

'If the Government approves tolling Penlink, the tolling scheme would be in place when the road is open in 2026.”