Business and trucking groups are welcoming a proposal to charge commuters to come into central Auckland

Officials have floated replacing the regional fuel tax with a weekday congestion charge of up to three dollars 50 from 2025, as a way of controlling rush-hour traffic.

The Auckland Business Chamber says the idea has worked well in London, Singapore, Stockholm and many other large cities.

Road Transport Forum chief executive Nick Leggett says it could be used to discourage drivers from clogging the roads at critical times of day.

He says it will influence behaviour, and get people to consider other transport modes or commuting times that are less disruptive to economic activity.