Minister defends toll fee on new bypass

Transport Minister Martin Cullen today defended the €2.50 toll on the new Kilcock/Kinnegad Bypass – the most expensive in the country.

The project clears a notorious bottleneck and will cut 20 minutes off peak-time journeys between Dublin and Galway/Sligo.

Opening 10 months ahead of schedule, the 50km bypass is also the longest single road contract undertaken in Ireland.

There will be a toll charge at Kilcock in Co Kildare, where motorists will pay an initial fee of €2.40 rising to €2.50 in January, compared to €1.80 at Dublin’s West Link.

Local Opposition TD Paul McGrath said people using the bypass for work will face a €25 extra charge every week.

The Public Private Partnership (PPP) contract with toll operators Eurolink stipulates that the barriers must be lifted if more than six cars are queuing in any one lane.

Mr Cullen today defended the toll levels: “A road this length in continental Europe would cost about 18 euro.

“It will dramatically reduce journey times for commuters and business people who are getting a very good return for their money.”

The new bypass means it is now possible to travel on continuous motorway and dual carriageway from Dublin to West of Kinnegad on the N6 (a distance of 55kms) and from Dublin to west of Mullingar on the N4 (a distance of 74kms).

Mr Cullen said: “We are working hard to deliver a transport network that lets people commute easily and lets business do business.

“We need infrastructure, like the new Kilcock-Kinnegad bypass, that efficiently moves people, goods and services where they want to go, when they want to go.”

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern added: “The new route will promote the attractiveness of the Midlands and the Cos Kildare, Meath and Westmeath as places to live and work.”

Mr Cullen also said the opening 10 months ahead of schedule proved that PPPs deliver projects faster, efficiently and at little or no extra cost to the taxpayer.

Three other PPP projects have been completed, one is in construction and ahead of schedule, and six are at various stages of planning and procurement.

Of these six projects, the Waterford City Bypass, the N7 Limerick Tunnel, the M3 Clonee/Kells motorway and phase 2 of the M50 upgrade, are being targeted by the NRA for a 2006 start.

On the tolling, Mr Cullen stated that lessons have been learned from the West-Link experience and strong safeguards have been built in to prevent PPP companies earning super-profits and to ensure a high level of toll plaza performance.

“The fact alone that the Kilcock/Kinnegad toll concession was only awarded following a strongly-competitive procurement process contributed substantially to a good outcome from a value for money perspective,” he said.

The PPP agreement provides that:

:: each automated toll collection express lane will allow unhindered passage of a vehicle with a valid easy pass

:: the average queue of vehicles calculated will be no greater than six vehicles

:: the queue of vehicles waiting in any toll lane shall not exceed 12 vehicles at any time

The PPP company will be fined or have the contract terminated if it doesn’t comply with the agreement.

Referring to Transport 21 Minister Cullen said that Ireland is moving into a new era for transport. The investment of €34.4bn, including nearly €16.5bn for national roads, will transform this country’s transport network over the next 10 years, he said.

“Transport 21, containing as it does an integrated approach to meeting Ireland’s transport needs underpinned by sustained high levels of investment, will improve our competitiveness, promote more balanced regional development and improve the quality of life for all our citizens.

“Building on the progress that has been made since 1997 this Government is committed, through Transport 21 to ensuring that Ireland has the transport infrastructure to support ongoing growth and development.”

Minister Cullen asked that all who drive on the new Bypass drive responsibly and treat all other road users with courtesy.

Peter Malone, chairman of the National Roads Authority said 2005 has been a highly successful year for PPP schemes with two projects coming in ahead of schedule.

“PPP schemes are firmly on the agenda in Ireland in order to meet the growing need here for a top class infrastructure comparable with the standards enjoyed by other European countries,” he said.

Mr Ahern explained that a well-functioning transport infrastructure was important for the economic and social life of the country as well as for a good quality of life in general.

“We are actively redressing serious past under-investment in this infrastructure,” he said.

“At the same time we are coping with phenomenal growth in traffic as a result of our ongoing exceptional economic performance.

“A well-developed national road network is also of major importance in meeting the competitiveness challenges that face our economy.

“This is to enable us make the major leap forward required to bring our transport infrastructure and services up to the standard required for a 21st century, first-world economy."