Raise toll barriers on M50 or else renegotiate NTR contract

Raise toll barriers on M50 or else renegotiate NTR contract - Hayes

Why spend E750m upgrading M50 with toll bridge still in place?

Fine Gael Dublin Spokesman Senator Brian Hayes has called on the Government to either re-negotiate the M50 toll bridge contract with National Toll Roads, or insist that the barriers are raised at peak times.

"The Government must put its money where its mouth is so that commuters who have to use the M50 on a daily basis can get some relief. Earlier this week the Government set out plans to spend E34 billion on transport over the next 10 years, but made no mention of the West Link toll bridge on the M50. Any money to ease congestion on the M50 should be spent now, and not in 10 years time.

Commuters are demanding that the Government acts now. There are two options:

- to renegotiate the contract with NTR to buy back the bridge and remove the barriers;
- or simply allow peak time traffic to use the toll bridge free of charge, and pay this amount to NTR at a discounted rate.

Can we not at least try raising the barriers to see if it makes any difference? After all, using a tiny fraction of public expenditure straight away to ease congestion could have an immediate effect on freeing up daily gridlock on the M50.

Congestion on the M50 is getting worse, not better. The West Link toll bridge and its impact on traffic flow and congestion continue to be a major cause of concern to all transport users in the Dublin region. When the Dublin Port Tunnel opens, large numbers of heavy goods vehicles will be channelled on to the M50, resulting in even more congestion.

There is now a compelling argument to suspend the tolls on the West Link toll bridge for a trial period of one month to assess its impact on traffic flows. Plans are already underway to spend an additional E750 million upgrading and expanding the M50 with new lanes and upgraded interchanges. If the toll bridge choke point is allowed to remain in place this will be money badly spent. Irelands main motorway is now the biggest and most expensive car park in the country.