Tolls apart

The Drogheda bypass opened for business in a blaze of publicity on Monday June 9. However, the National Roads Authority's decision to toll the new road, which forms part of the M1 corridor between Dublin and the border hasn't gone done well with the haulage industry - on either side of the border. John Loughran reports.

Within two weeks of the official opening of the Drogheda bypass, hauliers had carried out a cost v. benefit analysis of Ireland's latest super highway. The new bypass got a resounding 'thumbs down' from haulage operators in the North East on the grounds that the benefits accrued didn't justify the cost.

The IRHA has long since posted its opposition to road tolling on the grounds that hauliers make a substantial annual contribution to the upkeep and development of Ireland's road network through 'road tax'. It is on record as saying that road tolls represent an additional tax on distribution.

However, the association was content to adopt a 'wait and see' policy in relation to the new bypass and to correlate the experiences of its members before making any public comment on the new bypass.
Within a matter of days the IRHA's membership had voiced its opinion. Communications director Jimmy Quinn revealed: "Our members informed us that they could not afford to pay the toll. They looked at the financial outlay they would incur over the year and found that it outweighed the savings."

Following an IRHA meeting at the Fairways Hotel in Dundalk on Saturday June 21 (which was organised at the request of the membership) the majority hauliers decided to revert to the existing toll-free alternatives through Drogheda on the N1 and Slane on the N2.

"We left the decision up to our members. "It may well benefit hauliers heading for the UK or the Continent. However, it won't suit hauliers that are sending trucks to Dublin twice a day everyday. Most hauliers just can't see the benefits (financial and otherwise) of using the bypass and they have decided to use the toll-free alternatives which they are entitled to do."

The cost of the toll (ex vat) is £4.04 and it seems likely that a discount of 10 per cent will be available to frequent users, bringing the cost to the haulier down to £3.64 each way. However, the IRHA isn't happy with the Government's or NRA's stance on the issue.

"Every time a haulier a puts 1,000 litres of fuel in his truck, the Minister of Finance is getting £326. Every time a haulier taxes his truck the Minister of Environment gets between £1,500 and £2,000. A road toll represents a third level of taxation, which hauliers cannot carry."

He continued: "We are in the business of looking for practical solutions to this situation. We have suggested a system whereby toll charges could be credited against road tax. They aren't willing to come to the table to discuss the issue or the cost of tolls."

The hauliers' decision to revert to the existing road network provoked anger from local road safety and conservation groups. "We are getting it in the neck from An Taisce because hauliers are still driving through Drogheda. We have listened to and understand their grievances, but equally they must understand that hauliers just cannot afford the toll," Quinn added.
"The residents of Slane have also voiced road safety concerns. We urged them to take up the issue of tolling the Drogheda bypass with Transport Minister Seamus Brennan. He is the one that is putting profit ahead of road safety, by tolling the bypass. It is within in his remit to waive the toll for HGVs," he commented.

The current impasse could have been avoided with a little thought, planning and consultation, according to Quinn. "An enlightened Minister for Transport would say that all trucks should be toll free. If that was held up as a carrot all HGV traffic on the N1 and N2 would use the Drogheda bypass. That would save the town centres of Slane, Collon, Drogheda, Ashbourne and Ardee. Waiving the toll would be a small price to pay to give life back to the people of those towns."

To re-enforce this argument Quinn contends that HGVs account for 17 per cent of traffic on Dublin's Westlink Bridge, which is owned and operated by NTR. "It would be fair to assume that HGV traffic would account for a similar percentage on the N1 and N2. If the Drogheda bypass was toll-free it would remove a lot of traffic from the N1 and N2."

The Drogheda bypass is just the third road network in the Republic to be tolled after the East and West Link Bridges. It is also the first segment of road infrastructure built under the National Development Plan to be tolled. Little wonder then, that hauliers are in open revolt.

"We are breaking new ground here. The Drogheda bypass is the template for the future. We have to establish a clear strategy from here on. The road haulage industry is too small to fund infrastructure costs going forward, so we have to come up with an alternative," Quinn concluded.