Electronic tolls deal means Government benefit from increased M50 traffic

THE State will be the main beneficiary of any increase in traffic levels following the removal of toll barriers on the Westlink bridge on the M50.

The National Roads Authority (NRA) revealed yesterday that National Toll Roads (NTR), the owner of the Westlink toll, will only receive €50m per year, regardless of the predicted rise in traffic on the M50.

The Government announced last month that it had agreed a €600m deal with NTR to buy out its contract to operate the lucrative toll bridge.

At a meeting of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, NRA chief executive Fred Barry said the State, which obtains €30m of the €80m raised on the Westlink each year, would get any revenue above that figure from 2008.

The NRA said the Westlink toll bridge will be able to double its present capacity of 85,000 vehicles per day with the planned move to barrier-free tolling and the upgrading of the M50.

The NRA will have the power to set tolls in excess of inflation rates, subject to Government ratification. Although it raises the prospect that the current toll of €1.90 for cars will increase, Mr Barry said no decision had yet been taken on the fee structure.

The NRA revealed that 5,000 less cars are using the M50 daily since the introduction of a ban on heavy goods vehicles in the city centre last month. However, Mr Barry rejected the suggestion of Fine Gael transport spokeswoman Olivia Mitchell that the toll barriers should be lifted now.

“Until you get other works done, lifting the barriers at peak times won’t make any significant difference,” said Mr Barry.

Ms Mitchell also raised concern that there would be a lot of bad will felt by Irish motorists that the owners of foreign-registered vehicles will avoid having to pay tolls under the electronic system. Mr Barry replied that the number of foreign vehicles would not be significant.

Mr Barry also informed the committee that the NRA will present the Transport Minister, Martin Cullen, with its proposals for an outer orbital route around Dublin before the end of the month. It was initially believed that the route would link towns like Drogheda and Naas but Mr Barry said it was possible that such a route could be built nearer Dublin to help alleviate traffic on the M50.