Cullen defends €600m toll bridge buy-out

TRANSPORT Minister Martin Cullen last night defended the Government’s €600 million buy-out of the West Link toll bridge despite motoring groups insisting it will have no impact on the M50’s notorious tail-backs.

The AA warned Mr Cullen’s plan to introduce barrier-free tolling at the same pinch-point where National Toll Roads (NTR) collect their fees from drivers will mean the same bottlenecks persist.

The criticism came as the Cabinet gave the go-ahead to take over the toll bridge from August next year.

Taxpayers will pay the toll operator €50 million a year until 2020 in compensation.

However, Mr Cullen insisted there would be no “golden handshake” for NTR.

The minister also denied the ban on heavy goods lorries from central Dublin was adding to the congestion on the M50. With 100,000 vehicles a day using the toll bridge, Mr Cullen denied placing the barrier free tolling instruments at the same pinch-point in the motorway would have no beneficial impact.

“By buying the West Link toll bridge the State and the travelling public — rather than NTR — will be the direct beneficiary of the tolls. This is being done in order to develop and manage the M50 to provide the best possible service to motorists.

“The buy-out will allow the removal of the toll plaza on the West Link and its replacement by a barrier free tolling arrangement along the same stretch of motorway in 2008,” he said.

Revenue from the tolls will be used to fund the annual payments to NTR.

Mr Cullen stressed a number of issues remain outstanding in relation to the contract with NTR.

However, he said these did not include the question of giving NTR tax indemnity on the annual payments and he did not expect they would delay the conclusion of the agreement.