Vol. 546 No. 1
25 Mr. McDowell asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the call made by a company (details supplied) that the tolls on the Westlink bridge should be lifted to avoid the levels of traffic congestion in the area; if, having regard to the income the Government derives from such tolls, he has discussed this proposal with a company (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31113/01]
The statutory power to levy tolls on national roads, to make toll by-laws and to enter into toll agreements with private investors in respect of national roads is vested in the National Roads Authority – NRA – under Part V of the Roads Act, 1993, as amended by the Planning and Development Act, 2000. I am aware of the proposal referred to in the question. The proposal to waive tolls at certain times would require an amendment to the relevant tolling agreement, which would be a matter for the NRA to consider in the first instance given their statutory role and powers.
It has been suggested that the Exchequer could subsidise the peak-hour zero toll proposal by foregoing some of the gross toll revenue – GTR – share which is received by the Exchequer. This GTR share arrangement is set out in the tolling agreement, which is a legal agreement between the operator of the tolling facility, National Toll Roads plc – NTR – and NRA and any amendment of which would be a matter for the bodies concerned to consider. As the NRA is the body which is statutorily competent in this area and given that a legally binding agreement is involved between the NRA and NTR, I do not consider it be appropriate to express an opinion at this stage on the merits of this proposal.
