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Traffic Management.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 7 December 2004

Tuesday, 7 December 2004

Questions (94, 95)

Billy Timmins

Question:

110 Mr. Timmins asked the Minister for Transport if he will give consideration to operating a charge on one direction only at the M50 toll bridge to allow free flow into the city during the morning hours and doubling the outward charge to ensure that the same overall funding is collected as part of a pilot scheme, to assist in cutting down on time delays due to stopping to make payment each time one passes through the bridge. [32389/04]

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Written answers

The tolling and operation of the M50 toll bridge, including the consideration of suggestions such as that proposed by the Deputy, are matters for the National Roads Authority, NRA, and the tolling operator. Tolling outbound traffic only as suggested by the Deputy would have fundamental implications for traffic management and toll revenue and would not, I am informed, be feasible under the current toll agreement.

In the context of the proposals for the upgrade of the M50, which will have a beneficial impact on traffic flows on and across the M50, the operation and location of toll booths and measures to optimise toll plaza performance are being considered, including the use of barrier free tolling. Legislative measures to support the introduction of barrier free road tolling are also under consideration within my Department.

Breeda Moynihan-Cronin

Question:

111 Ms B. Moynihan-Cronin asked the Minister for Transport if his attention has been drawn to recent comments from the chief executive of the National Roads Authority that the operation of the West Link toll plaza is not satisfactory and that it should be converted to a fully free-flow electronic toll collection; if he plans to introduce legislation to facilitate this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32341/04]

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The operation of the West Link toll plaza is a matter for the National Roads Authority, NRA, and the tolling operator. I am aware of the comments made by the NRA at the Joint Committee on Transport about the operation of the toll facilities at the West Link toll plaza, having regard to traffic volumes on the M50.

In the context of proposals for the upgrade of the M50, which will have a beneficial impact on traffic flows on and across the M50, a number of options relating to the operation and location of the toll booths and measures to optimise toll plaza performance are being considered including, in particular, the use of barrier free tolling. Legislative measures to support the introduction of barrier free road tolling are also currently under consideration within my Department.

Question No. 112 answered with QuestionNo. 63.
Question No. 113 answered with QuestionNo. 97.
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