Traffic jams predicted as drivers may go against the flow to avoid new toll

THERE could be serious traffic jams around Dublin city over the next week as thousands of motorists who normally use the M50 could take alternative routes to avoid a controversial new barrier-free tolling system which came into effect at midnight.

AA Roadwatch predicted many drivers will deliberately avoid the Westlink crossing on the M50 to avoid tolls which can now cost up to 50% more under the new charging system.

AA spokesman Conor Faughnan estimated that up to 15% of vehicles who normally use the Westlink crossing on the M50 could divert to other routes with the potential to cause traffic congestion in several parts of the city.

“It is difficult to measure but the experience from Fermoy, Kinnegad and Drogheda is that large numbers of vehicles will divert to avoid paying a toll. It’s likely that occasional users of the Westlink will choose to avoid it because they will face higher charges than in the past unless they register for a tag account,” said Mr Faughnan.

But the National Roads Authority (NRA) said it did not anticipate that many motorists would divert away from the M50.

“It is more likely that traffic will increase on the M50 as the removal of the barriers should help shorten journey times,” said NRA spokesman Hugh Creegan.

However, Mr Faughnan said motorists would be hard pressed to notice any significant reductions in travel times on the M50 although he acknowledged the removal of the toll barriers should prove less time-consuming for crossing the Westlink.

“There will still be a substantial volume of traffic on the M50 and there will be congestion because of ongoing roadworks. Motorists won’t be able to see the full benefits of the removal of the barriers until the upgrading of the motorway to a three-lane system in each direction is running the whole length of the M50,” said Mr Faughnan.

The NRA has admitted that it is expecting teething problems with the new tolling system which it devised as a result of the decision to remove all coin payment facilities at the Westlink toll plaza following the Government’s €488 million buyout of the toll from its private operator, National Toll Roads.

EFlow will replace the barriers at the Westlink plaza which many motorists blamed for traffic jams over the past decade on the country’s busiest road which carries about 90,000 vehicles on average each day.

Since midnight, car owners using the Westlink will have to choose from payment methods to pay tolls ranging from €2 to €3 per crossing.

According to the NRA, more than 250,000 vehicles have already been registered for a tag or video account which allows motorists to make payments automatically.

In general, tag accounts are considered best value for motorists who would use the Westlink at least twice a month. Otherwise, the optimum choice for infrequent users would appear to be a video account which charges a €2.50 toll.

Unregistered users will have until 8pm the next day to pay a toll of €3 for cars. Higher rates of charges apply to other types of vehicles.

Anyone who misses the deadline faces an additional penalty of €3. If they subsequently fail to pay within the next 14 days, they will receive a second warning notice with a further €40 penalty. Any motorist who continues to ignore paying the toll at this point will face another penalty of €100 after 56 days after which time legal proceedings against them will be initiated.

Meanwhile, one of the Westlink’s biggest critics, Senator Shane Ross has complained that the NRA’s eFlow system has merely replaced a private monopoly with a public one.

The independent senator hit out at what he claimed was the NRA’s “rip-off regime” which continued to fleece Irish motorists.

“The motorist was crucified by the NTR for years. After much campaigning and pressure, the Government spent a fortune buying out their interest. But the NRA looks set to eclipse the excesses of NTR,” said Mr Ross.

He described the new tolling scheme as “a recipe for disaster” even though the removal of the barriers should have been a cause for celebration.

“Instead we have higher tolls, an administrative mess and pending chaos,” said Mr Ross. “Eventually the NRA will be sending a motorist to jail. That’s something not even NTR would have done.”

Fine Gael TD Seán Barrett also called on the Government to instruct the NRA to reduce tolls for motorists, claiming the new charging system represented more stealth taxes.

For more information on the new toll charges, check the website: www.eflow.ie Consumers can compare the cost of various tag options which can be used at all toll plazas nationwide on www.tagcompare.ie