Dublin Port Tunnel update

The National Roads Authority (NRA) has conceded that a strict traffic management system will be put in place at Dublin Port Tunnel, when it finally opens for business, because the ventilation system being installed won't be able to cope with the emissions caused by bumper-to-bumper traffic. John Loughran reports.

Dublin Port Tunnel, when first mooted more than a decade ago, was heralded as a panacea for all of the city's traffic congestion ills. Hauliers freely bought into the notion of the tunnel, and why wouldn't they? After all it was going to move 9,000 of their ilk from the streets of Dublin every day.

However, the shining jewel in Ireland's infrastructure crown is fast becoming the butt of jokes across Europe, as a result of some curious decisions taken by its planners It now seems the finished project won't live up to the claims of its promoters Dublin City Council (DCC) and the NRA.

Sources with the NRA are now quietly admitting the authority "gilded the lily" in relation to the port tunnel and oversold its benefits to an over willing general public who just wanted to see HGV traffic removed from the city centre.

The height restriction issue is a perfect example of where the promoters sold hauliers a bum steer. Hauliers still don't know if so-called supercube trucks will be accommodated in the tunnel, or whether they will be forced to trundle through the city centre.

Apparently Transport Minister Seamus Brennan is still deliberating over the findings of the Atkins report, which seemed to indicate the height restriction could be raised to 4.9 metres at a cost of £30 million.
IRHA communications director Jimmy Quinn tells it as he sees it. He is furious at the Minister's inactivity. "We feel the Atkins report has been buried. We can't get our hands on it. We have been refused access to it under the Freedom of Information Act. The report is obviously an embarrassment to them and they are trying to put a positive face on it," he fumed.

The NRA concession that the Port Tunnel will be controlled by "a strict traffic management scheme" is also of great concern to the Co. Louth based haulier. He believes "strict traffic management" equates to a ban on HGVs carrying hazardous chemicals.

"The sheer volume of (hazardous) tankers involved is enormous. Dublin port is the principle import point for fuel for most of Leinster. The tunnel was supposed to be built to accommodate this traffic. We were told the tunnel would cater for all hazardous goods. It seems there has been a row-back on this position," he continued.

The IRHA gave its fullest backing to the tunnel project when it was first mooted more than a decade ago. However, Quinn now has severe reservations about the effectiveness of the tunnel when it finally opens next year.

He feels a golden opportunity to provide a landmark piece of infrastructure has been wasted because of the inadequacies of the design and planning process. His biggest condemnation of the project is the lack of end-user consultation. Quinn believes the Government, NRA and DCC have serious questions to answer in relation to Dublin Port Tunnel

"I am not calling for the establishment of a tribunal or judicial enquiry, but in the fullness of time there will have to be an investigation into the Dublin Port Tunnel. That investigation will have to look at the construction of the project, the delays that took place, the lack of consultation, the height issue, the hazardous goods issue and finally how EU funding was lost."

He blasted: "The fact that they never consulted with us (the haulage industry) and have made a mess of the project is absolutely incredulous and unforgivable."
The NRA stated last month that it couldn't justify the expenditure of an additional £100 million on an extraction system, capable of handling bumper-to-bumper traffic. However, it is understood DCC's project engineers advised that a smoke extraction system be installed, rather than leaving it to ventilators to push the smoke out.

NRA spokesman Michael Egan said: "A tunnel that is 4.5 km long is going to be a hostile environment anyway. The last thing you want is people stuck in traffic because a fire in that situation would create panic with the potential for significant loss of life."

Mr Egan said the NRA wasn't convinced spending an additional £100 million would further enhance ventilation. However, the roads authority is happy the tunnel is safe. He added: "There has to be a high degree of certainty at all times that traffic entering the tunnel can get out at speed. We do not believe that safety has been compromised in normal traffic movement."

However, Quinn feels the NRA should have opted for the more expensive option. "In the ordinary course of events, when traffic is moving the tunnel will virtually ventilate itself, because the movement of traffic will force out the fumes. However, there is no point in talking about proper ventilation after an accident."

He continued: "That option should have been looked at from day one. It shouldn't be entering the argument at this very late stage. It is a total fowl up as far as I am concerned."

He concluded: "£100 million looks like an awful lot of money, but over the life of the tunnel it wouldn't be that much. If it meant you could get all of the hazardous traffic into the tunnel and out of the city, it would be a good trade-off."