Motorway tolls on road to Croke Park will not be lifted for All-Ireland hurling fans

Day of semi final saw long tailbacks at M7/M8 toll plaza

Member of Clare County Fire and Rescue Service decorating Ennis Fire Station ahead of this Sunday's All-Ireland hurling final between Clare and Cork. Picture: Press 22

The only thing Cork and Clare hurling fans will see lifted this Sunday is the Liam MacCarthy Cup after calls for a lifting of motorway tolls on the road to Croke Park fell on deaf ears.

Long tailbacks at the M7/M8 toll plaza in Laois the weekend before last, as tens of thousands of Cork and Limerick fans merged on the road to Croke Park for the semi-final, prompted calls on the toll operators to lift the barriers for Sunday’s All Ireland hurling final clash between Cork and Clare.

Fine Gael Senator Tim Lombard, who was among those stuck the tailbacks, wrote to the toll operators, MidLink, asking them to consider lifting the toll barriers for certain hours this Sunday, and said it was vital that measures are put in place to ensure safe, free flowing traffic given that the final is an all Munster affair again.

“Thankfully, there were no reports of collisions, given the huge volume of traffic and the congestion on the motorway,” he said.  

Parishioners from the Cathedral of St Mary in Shandon, Chris O’Sullivan, Kathleen Murray, Mick Batt, Frances O’Rourke, Fr John Murphy and Trish Harrington have put the flags out and are saying prayers for a win on Sunday. Picture: Chani Anderson

“As a gesture of goodwill and to ensure supporters don't miss the high-profile match because of traffic delays caused by the toll plaza, could consideration be given to lifting all barriers for traffic northbound from 10am until 2.30pm to allow fans to get to Croke Park, and then again from 5:30pm until 10.30pm to allow southbound fans a quicker journey back home."

But he confirmed that he has received no response.

The Irish Examiner has now established that the toll barriers will not be lifted.

A spokesman for Transport Infrastructure Ireland said the state has contractual agreements in place with toll operators under existing public private partnerships (PPPs).

“Therefore, any removal of tolls would have to be paid for by the state to the private operators,” a spokesman said.

“The existing toll system is a user pays system, if you don't use the motorway you don't pay. Any changes to that would mean people not using the motorway would be subsidising the motorway user.

“Additionally, TII have requested that the toll operators are fully prepared for the demands that will be placed on their tolling operations this weekend.” 

MidLink will have five of its seven northbound lanes open on the M7/M8 toll plaza from 7am on Sunday, with all seven lanes open from 8am.

Clare flag seller Jimmy Ward doing a great business in Westbury, Co. Clare. Picture: Liam Burke/Press 22

Operators will be on duty in the toll booths across six lanes, accepting cash or credit cards. The express lane is for electronic tag customers only.

The Road Safety Authority said while motorways are statistically the safest way of moving large volumes of traffic, there are still risks to drivers who use them.

A spokesman urged motorists to keep an eye on the TII message signs which will display real time journey information across the network, including active traffic management of possible unplanned events.

"When approaching a toll, drivers should reduce their speed appropriately," he said. 

"Always leave a safe gap between your vehicle and the vehicle in front and adhere to the 50km/h maximum speed limit."

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