To ask 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 driving 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
Billy Timmins.
For ORAL answer on Tuesday, 7th December, 2004.
Ref No: 32389/04 Lottery: 65 Proof: 108
Answered by the Minister for Transport (Martin Cullen)
Reply
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 optimize 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 currently under consideration within my Department.
