Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 20 June 2013
275. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide a chronology of his knowledge since becoming Minister, of proposals to introduce multipoint tolling on the M50, particularly in the context of his comments from September 2011 when he indicated his view that it would be fairer to have 60c tolls at different points. [29982/13]
View answerA proposal to widen the carriageway and upgrade the junctions over most of the M50 was approved by An Bord Pleanála in 2005. Conditions were attached to the permission which included the development of a scheme of demand management measures. The NRA in conjunction with the relevant local authorities have been working on such a scheme.
When I took over as Minister for Transport I undertook a review of tolling policy. Having reviewed the position and in the context of budgetary measures increasing VAT and carbon tax I came to the decision in late 2011 that new tolls would not be introduced during my term as Minister for Transport. In relation to the M50 specifically, the likely impact of multi-point tolling will be to push vehicles on to other roads and through local communities. At present, congestion is not the problem that it was when An Bord Pleanala granted permission to the M50 upgrade, but it will re-emerge as an issue if and when the economy recovers. At that point we will need a joined-up solution to deal with congestion across the Greater Dublin Area, and not just on the M50.
