Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 20 Nov 2003

Vol. 575 No. 1

Written Answers. - Road Network.

Bernard J. Durkan

Question:

183 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Transport the projected income from toll roads in the next 10 years; if that income has been factored into Government spending; if so, the extent, on a year-by-year basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28028/03]

Minister for Transport (Mr. Brennan)

The NRA's current PPP programme comprises 11 projects spread throughout the country. It is estimated that user tolls on those projects will leverage private sector funding of approximately €1.15 billion for the national roads programme between 2004 and 2008.

The amount of €150 million in external roads financing included in the public capital programme tables of the 2004 abridged Estimates volume is the estimated private sector investment in the N4-N6 Kilcock-Kinnegad scheme, which commenced construction earlier this year; the M1 Dundalk western bypass; the N8 Fermoy bypass and the N25 Waterford city bypass. It is additional to the 2004 Exchequer provision of €1.227 billion for the national roads improvement programme.

Funding arrangements and toll revenue for the various schemes will not be determined until the relevant negotiations are finalised and tolling agreements entered into by the NRA. Total gross toll revenue over the next ten years, discounted to 2003 prices, from the projects where toll schemes have been adopted, Kilcock-Kinnegad PPP, Drogheda bypass and the West-Link bridge, is estimated at an average of under €70 million per annum.

Regarding the costs of tolling to the motoring public, the road projects identified by the NRA for PPP based on user toll financing will deliver time savings, journey time certainty, and an overall high level of service to users for the toll charge levied. Those toll roads will be constructed as additions to the current network of national roads rather than provided by means of the improvement of existing roads. Road users will accordingly be in a position to choose whether to use the existing toll-free network for their journeys or the new tolled roads. I am confident, however, that the modest level of the tolls to be charged, combined with the high quality of the new roads and the greatly improved transport service they will provide, will ensure that the routes are attractive to the vast bulk of inter-urban traffic.