M50 Toll Plans

faceman

What will be the story with taxi charges?

At the moment if a taxi uses a toll road, the toll is lobbed on the fare which is fair enough. However if the driver hasnt bother his arse to get a tag and only uses the most expensive option, then thats hardly fair on the passenger?

L1011

chris85 wrote: »

dont think so you can simply transfer the eazypass to different cars no problem, i have done it a good few times.

No number plate recognition

The current one definately doesn't as its an RFID tag, I'm thinking about when it came in in 2001/2 - I seem to remember people who had it getting a car sticker as thats what the cameras used... Its a massive RFID tag compaed to the other providers too.

thebigshot

faceman wrote: »

However if the driver hasnt bother his arse to get a tag and only uses the most expensive option, then thats hardly fair on the passenger?

Maybe he is trying to make a point by not registering.

You see if everyone stood up to this impliction, the government would have to back down.

The fightin' irish?, I have seen more spirit in a lump of plywood.

C.D.

Too quite a while to get a reply, I don't feel my e-mail was really addressed- I already new that the tolls are used to fund roads etc. My point was that it has already been paid for many times over (as the NRA took a portion of the tolls prior to August '08). Certainly I don't think the Gov. is going to give up such a lucrative source of revenue without a fight.

E-mail wrote:

Dear x,

I refer to your e-mail of 30 April 2008 concerning the issue of the M50 toll plaza. Please accept my apologies for the delay in replying to you.

I should explain that the Minister for Transport is responsible for overall policy and funding in relation to the national roads programme element of Transport 21. The implementation of individual national road projects, including the M50, is a matter for the National Roads Authority (NRA) under the Roads Act, 1993 in conjunction with the local authorities concerned. In addition, the statutory power to levy tolls on national roads, to make toll bye-laws, and to enter into toll agreements with private investors in respect of national roads is vested in the NRA under Part V of the Roads Act 1993 (as amended by the Planning and Development Act 2000 and the Roads Act 2007).

The M50 has experienced massive traffic growth in line with economic and employment growth and increased car ownership rates. Average annual daily traffic flows on a number of sections of the M50 are in excess of 85,000 vehicles and major congestion does occur at peak times. Priority has been given by the Government under Transport 21 and the National Development Plan to accelerating works to alleviate M50 congestion. The solution to M50 congestion is the upgrade of the M50 along with the move to barrier free tolling.

Once complete, the M50 upgrade scheme will have significant benefits, as it will:
- Expand the capacity of the M50 to deal with 50% more traffic than at present;
- Improve average peak hour speeds;
- Reduce traffic congestion on the radial routes (N3, N4, N7); and
- Improve traffic flow on the whole of the Dublin road network.

The upgrade project, which is being carried out in three distinct phases, will cost approximately ?1 billion. Phases 1 and 3 of the project are substantially complete with Phase 2 scheduled to be finished in 2010. The Upgrade is set to be completed on time and within its overall budget. Indeed road users are already seeing the benefits of this project as Phases 1 and 3 near full completion.

The transition to barrier free tolling, which I understand from the NRA, is on schedule to become operational in August 2008, will entail the removal of the current West-Link Toll Plaza (a part of the M50 which was originally built by private funding in the 1980s and only about to return to full State ownership in August 2008) and its replacement with a fully electronic barrier-free tolling system that will allow drivers to travel unencumbered along the M50. This should help to further significantly improve traffic flow on the route and make a very positive contribution towards the easing of congestion for all road users.

All net revenue generated from barrier free tolling on the M50 will be reinvested by the NRA in the national road network and will in the first instance help fund the ongoing M50 upgrade works, which I have referred to above.

As I outlined above tolling levels are set by the NRA in a set of toll bye-laws following a full and transparent public consultation process. The tolls that will apply on the M50 at Westlink were made available for public consultation in September 2007 before being finally agreed a little earlier this year.

I trust this clarifies the position for you as it relates to this Department and our role in tolling policy and the M50. If you require any further detailed information on M50 tolling please contact the NRA on info@nra.ie in the first instance .

Yours sincerely

x
Road Policy Division
Department of Transport

---

Original Message

---

Sent: 30 April 2008 19:25
To: Department of Transport; MINISTER'S OFFICE;
Subject: M50 Toll Plaza


Dear Sir/Madam,

It was with interest that I read the recent issues regarding the M50 in
the press. While I am relieved to say that there will no longer be a
physical barrier bringing the traffic to a halt, I was aghast at the
system proposed for those using the "Toll plaza".

It is my understanding that the taxes paid by Irish citizens
(specifically those paid by motorists) are used to fund the development
and maintenance of the country's infrastructure. Granted, the plaza is
operated by a private operator, but who paid for the construction of the
hundreds of kilometers that compromise the M50/M11? In a scenario that
seems like it could have been pulled from fiction, thousands of
motorists are then herded onto and charged to use a 500 meter bridge.
Undoubtedly the cost of the plaza has been recuperated many times over
by the charges paid by motorists, with the government taking a hefty
proportion
(http://www.nra.ie/PublicPrivatePartnership/ProjectTracker/M50SecondWest-LinkBridge/).
If one is to look to our neighbours on the continent, the toll roads
operate as an alternative to the national routes. The toll company
builds the motorway from start to finish, usually several hundred
kilometers, as opposed to the state funding the hundreds of kilometers
of motorway construction.

However considering the M50 was built using taxpayer's money and the
only alternative is drive on the congested secondary routes (the very
roads the M50 was supposed to be taking traffic off), it seems
tantamount to daylight robbery that a cash-rich government who has
invested unprecedented amounts into this country's infrastructure
should let the plaza be 1) Be operated by a private company who 2)
Charges exorbitant tolls. If one does the maths, a commuter on minimum
wage taking driving through the toll bridge twice daily to work (even
when taking the cheapest option into account) pays nearly 6% of their
yearly pay crossing the toll plaza. In the interests of the people, the
government/NRA should offer a viable alternative to using the toll plaza
or abolish the scandalous tolls, as it stands I know I shall be avoiding
the toll plaza and thus adding to the congestion on secondary and
tertiary routes in the vicinity of the M50.

Regards,
...

G-Money

Can't you just keep using EasyPass with the new system? I thought you could...

L1011

You can, yes.

faceman

MYOB wrote: »

You can, yes.

Is there a monthly charge like there is with the eflow tags? I have an eazypass but nothing on their website talks about costs.

L1011

You've been paying a monthly admin fee for that since day 1.

faceman

MYOB wrote: »

You've been paying a monthly admin fee for that since day 1.

Not as far as i am aware. i only see the 40yoyo deduction on my credit card when my top up is low.

L1011

It comes out of your credit... check your statements.

R.O.R

Does anyone know if you'll still be able to use the Eazypass (or e-flow tag) in multiple vehicles? I know the Eazypass can be used in any vehicle at the moment, but will the numberplate recognition put a stop to this?

L1011

It won't work in the vehicle its not registered to (well, it will, it'll get charged AND the vehicle's plate will be read and charged too...) with the new system.

mickdw

What if you get one of these tags and leave it at home the odd time.
If they get the number plate and bill you, surely all they can do is charge you the tag rate for the trip as you could argue its down to their technology not picking up the tag for whatever reason.
I suspect they are not going to bill everyone who passes without payment due to the costs involved so maybe some saving to be made.

Savman

Tell ye wot, why don't yiz all avoid the M50 altogether....keeps it free for folks like me to breeze across

Yeah, backroads. :eek:

L1011

mickdw wrote: »

What if you get one of these tags and leave it at home the odd time.
If they get the number plate and bill you, surely all they can do is charge you the tag rate for the trip as you could argue its down to their technology not picking up the tag for whatever reason.
I suspect they are not going to bill everyone who passes without payment due to the costs involved so maybe some saving to be made.

The tags adhere to your car window, its very damn hard to 'leave them at home'!

They don't work reliably or at all if not fitted to the windscreen.

They will be billing everyone who passes without payment as the fee for being chased up is significantly higher than their costs - 40 euro.

G-Money

I'd love to know how they are going to completely remove the toll plaza and sort everything out, without completely ballsing up the traffic for months on end.

If you think about it, they need to remove all the building material, the booths, barriers and I'm sure the road isn't all smooth and perfect underneath the booths either. Not exactly an overnight job I reckon.