NRA draws up €700m plan to tackle gridlock

The National Roads Authority is reportedly close to completing a €700m plan designed to reduce traffic gridlock around Dublin and improve access to the city.

Reports today said the plan would be delivered to the Government "shortly".

Among its proposals are extra lanes on the M50 motorway and a series of new multi-lane flyovers at the Red Cow roundabout and at interchanges where the motorway meets the main roads from Cork, Limerick, Galway, Sligo and Belfast.

Speaking this morning, NRA chief executive Michael Tobin said the M50’s designers could not have anticipated the huge increase in car usage around Dublin that followed the construction of the motorway. He said new road designs must be easily adaptable to meet any future changes in demand.