Varadkar allays fears over Jack Lynch Tunnel toll

FEARS the Government was preparing to introduce a daily charge on 68,000 drivers using the Jack Lynch Tunnel have been allayed.

Minister for Transport Leo Varadkar has conceded a levy on the route would put hard-hit motorists under increased financial pressure.

His assurance in the Seanad eases concerns over a new toll on the 12-year-old tunnel.

Cork Chamber president John Mullins said yesterday he welcomed the minister’s clarification on the matter, which came in response to a question in the Seanad from Senator Deirdre Clune.

In reply to the senator Minister Varadkar said: “I recognise there are other ways to raise revenue than tolls and in light of the increase of VAT and carbon tax, slapping tolls on top of this would put people under more fiscal restraint.”

Mr Mullins said Cork Chamber was encouraged by the minister’s comments as the organisation remained strongly opposed to any “opportunistic” introduction of tolls on the tunnel.

“In the morning peak hour, nearly 6,500 vehicles use the tunnel. Should a toll be introduced at this location, a Cork Chamber study has suggested it would give rise to the redirection of up to 46% of traffic away from the tunnel onto other roads in the Cork area,” Mr Mullins said.

“Some 3,000 extra cars and trucks, which otherwise would have used the tunnel, would try to find alternative routes through the city centre and inner suburbs to reach their destinations, causing congestion, chaos and undermining the vitality of the city’s economic life.”

He said any redirection of traffic would cause additional delays throughout Cork City, but particularly in the city centre, the northern, southern and eastern approaches and to a lesser extent on the western approaches.

“The cost of this additional congestion and delay is estimated by us to be in the order of up to four times the revenues which would be generated by any toll on the jack Lynch Tunnel,” Mr Mullins said.

Earlier in the year the National Roads Authority (NRA) indicated that a toll system on the Cork tunnel was a possibility.

The NRA is currently finalising plans for upgrading the Jack Lynch Tunnel /Dunkettle interchanges which could cost up to €100 million.

It is expected the plan will be made public in the early New Year but, without revenue generated by a toll, it is as yet unclear where the NRA will secure funding to complete the project.

Senator Clune said she was reassured to hear the minister’s comments.

She said that to impose a toll in the current economic climate would have a “profound effect” on business and many livelihoods in Cork city and county.