Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 18 February 2014
846. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the degree to which roads carrying the heaviest volumes of traffic continue to be monitored by his Department with a view to a determination as to the extent to which capacity can be enhanced or upgraded with particular reference to the M50; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8301/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, I have responsibility for overall policy and funding in relation to the national roads programme. The planning, design and implementation of individual road projects is a matter for the National Roads Authority (NRA) under the Roads Acts 1993 to 2007 in conjunction with the local authorities concerned.
The M50 upgrade project, approved in 2005, resulted in the addition of a third lane in both directions from the M1 to Sandyford and a fourth auxiliary lane in places together with the development of freeflow junctions and the introduction of barrier free tolling. This major investment has significantly enhanced the capacity of the motorway. There are no proposals at present for further investment in additional capacity.
One of the conditions attached to An Bord Pleanála's approval of the upgrade was the publication of a scheme of demand management measures within 3 years of the completion of the work. The NRA with the relevant local authorities has been working on such a scheme and a draft of their report has been published.
