Environment pays high price for toll bridge

HAVING read yet again about Ireland missing its environmental targets with regard to emissions vis-a-vis the Kyoto Agreement, I have a question for your readers of engineering backgrounds who may be able to do the mechanical calculations.

I have a theory that keeps coming into my head every day when I am stuck in the regular two or three-mile queue towards the West Link toll bridge in Dublin.

Thousands of cars each day are travelling at 10 to 15 mph for two to three miles approaching the toll bridge from both directions instead of the normal speeds that you would expect.