Hauliers and AA criticise toll plan for Shannon tunnel

The Irish Road Haulage Association and the AA have criticised a plan to impose a toll on a new tunnel due to be constructed under the river Shannon in Limerick.

Work on the €100m tunnel is due to begin next year and the facility is expected to be open to the public by 2009.

The National Roads Authority is planning to charge motorists €1.60 to use the tunnel, while truck drivers will have to pay a €5 toll.

The IRHA said this would cause delays and cancel out the advantages of the tunnel, while the AA said such tolls were inefficient as they encourage traffic to continue using existing roads.