M1 protest

whereto now

Anyone know who the people are protesting against the M1 toll, I just came through the toll at Donore and saw a couple of men on the road. Big signs up too, not a great day to be out......

I think Cllr. Ken O Heiligh is the fella behind it all.

Not sure I see the purpose of it (removing the toll, that is), but there have been many a heated argument on here about it.

whereto now

Right thanks for that, seems like a bit of a waste of time alrite, but good luck to him.....hope he brought his wellies....:)

enricoh

what a hero!
1.80 to skip a dozen red lights n a twenty minute delay - absolute bargain!
hope they're not reading this n put up the price though!

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

You have to love his innocence. He seems to think there are votes in acting a fool about the toll. It's the best 1.90 I spend. Saves me more than 1.90 in my time and fuel. If he doesn't want to use a road build as a toll road by PPP then let him just go around it. He seems to want the benefit at no cost.
Are there local elections this year?????

gipi

The toll has been 1.90 since Jan 2013. NRA don't appear to have increased prices for this year.

Nesta99

Isnt his argument that depending on exactly where some people live it costs 1.80 every time to to get into Drogheda?

GoodisonPark

Nesta99 wrote: »

Isnt his argument that depending on exactly where some people live it costs 1.80 every time to to get into Drogheda?

Yes that's the argument alright.
There's no toll to enter Dundalk for example.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Nesta99 wrote: »

Isnt his argument that depending on exactly where some people live it costs 1.80 every time to to get into Drogheda?

This was gone in to here ad infinitum about a year and a half ago. The old pre-toll roads still exist if anybody wants to use them. This is just a bee in his bonnet that seems to pop up every time he's canvassing.

Lord TSC

IIRC, he said back then that he did that protest every Jan 1st.

Here's one of the topics where the Counciller even came on (apparently) and discussed the issue.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056367945

Nesta99

Adelaide Nervous Hedge wrote: »

This was gone in to here ad infinitum about a year and a half ago. The old pre-toll roads still exist if anybody wants to use them. This is just a bee in his bonnet that seems to pop up every time he's canvassing.

Grand so, too lazy to trawl old posts. Talk about fighting a lost cause. As the pre-toll roads are still there is there touch of irritation that the toll was at Drogheda rather than Dundalk? Genuine question not trolling (forgive the term in the context lol).

As an aside was driving in France over the Christmas break and I paid €30 for a toll, so as much as we whinge and resent forms of indirect taxation imagine Haulage companies and the like dealing with that level of cost:eek:

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Nesta99 wrote: »

Grand so, too lazy to trawl old posts. Talk about fighting a lost cause. As the pre-toll roads are still there is there touch of irritation that the toll was at Drogheda rather than Dundalk? Genuine question not trolling (forgive the term in the context lol).

As an aside was driving in France over the Christmas break and I paid €30 for a toll, so as much as we whinge and resent forms of indirect taxation imagine Haulage companies and the like dealing with that level of cost:eek:

I think you have unearthed his objections very succinctly.

Nesta99

Why am I not surprised!

Lord TSC

That, and he knows it's a bit of good PR fighting a lost cause that people are all irritated by, rather than fighting the harder and less popular topics.

SolvableKnave

Isn't the whole issue about the tolls on the slip roads? Whatever about the motorway itself being tolled, fair enough. We've had the M50 like that for how long now? The problem is that there are tolls on the slip roads on the Dundalk side of the bridge, so, if your doing a small hop between the two slip roads, not using the bridge (because there are no slip roads after the bridge on the Dublin side until you go through the main toll gate) you still have to pay a toll on the slip road. That's the big issue I believe. Because of those tolls on those particular slip roads, Drogheda has effectively become the ONLY tolled town in the country.

the_syco

SolvableKnave wrote: »

The problem is that there are tolls on the slip roads on the Dundalk side of the bridge, so, if your doing a small hop between the two slip roads, not using the bridge (because there are no slip roads after the bridge on the Dublin side until you go through the main toll gate) you still have to pay a toll on the slip road.

Could you throw up a Google Maps link, please, of said road?

Nesta99

SolvableKnave wrote: »

Isn't the whole issue about the tolls on the slip roads? Whatever about the motorway itself being tolled, fair enough. We've had the M50 like that for how long now? The problem is that there are tolls on the slip roads on the Dundalk side of the bridge, so, if your doing a small hop between the two slip roads, not using the bridge (because there are no slip roads after the bridge on the Dublin side until you go through the main toll gate) you still have to pay a toll on the slip road. That's the big issue I believe. Because of those tolls on those particular slip roads, Drogheda has effectively become the ONLY tolled town in the country.

But I can enter and leave Drogheda via multiple routes toll free, so how is it a tolled town?

Scotty #

SolvableKnave wrote: »

Isn't the whole issue about the tolls on the slip roads? ...so, if your doing a small hop between the two slip roads....

It's a MOTORWAY! It's not designed or intended for 'small hops' and to do so would be extremely dangerous.

It's more likely we will see tolls introduced at every slip road on/off motorways than see this one closed. I'm sure Howlin mentioned it recently. You would then be charged according to your distance travelled. A much fairer system.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

SolvableKnave wrote: »

Isn't the whole issue about the tolls on the slip roads? Whatever about the motorway itself being tolled, fair enough. We've had the M50 like that for how long now? The problem is that there are tolls on the slip roads on the Dundalk side of the bridge, so, if your doing a small hop between the two slip roads, not using the bridge (because there are no slip roads after the bridge on the Dublin side until you go through the main toll gate) you still have to pay a toll on the slip road. That's the big issue I believe. Because of those tolls on those particular slip roads, Drogheda has effectively become the ONLY tolled town in the country.

I don't know what route you are taking as there is no toll on the slip on the Dundalk side of Drogheda (mell). You pay the toll to cross the bridge. You do not need to cross the bridge to enter Drogheda from North or South. The toll is on the slips you would use if you have crossed the bridge.

borderlinemeath

In all fairness, if you take Dundalk and Swords for example, the two major towns either side of Drogheda - there are outer relief roads on both, you can take the N32 all around Dundalk, avoiding the centre of town and traffic, it is free flowing with a series of roundabouts save for a few sets of pedestrian lights. The R132 at Swords is pretty much the same, outer arterial road, free flowing roundabouts for the most part. Then you have Drogheda where there is no outer relief road and either pay the toll on the Motorway or suffer and drive through the town and it's at least 15 sets of traffic lights to get through the town. I think this is where the problem lies, the toll was specifically placed at Drogheda because the alternative is so bad it was hoped to force the majority onto the motorway, but it's the townspeople of Drogheda that suffer because of it.

P. Breathnach

borderlinemeath wrote: »

... the toll was specifically placed at Drogheda because the alternative is so bad it was hoped to force the majority onto the motorway, but it's the townspeople of Drogheda that suffer because of it.

Let's not create a conspiracy theory when there is a better explanation.

The toll is at Drogheda because there was a very expensive bridge built to take the M1 over the Boyne, and a PPP was involved in funding the bridge and a stretch of motorway either side of it. That now needs to be paid for.

The tolled stretch of motorway is a benefit to the people of Drogheda because people like me pay the toll and no longer clog up the streets of their town.

borderlinemeath

P. Breathnach wrote: »

Let's not create a conspiracy theory when there is a better explanation.

The toll is at Drogheda because there was a very expensive bridge built to take the M1 over the Boyne, and a PPP was involved in funding the bridge and a stretch of motorway either side of it. That now needs to be paid for.

The tolled stretch of motorway is a benefit to the people of Drogheda because people like me pay the toll and no longer clog up the streets of their town.

You might use it, but there's plenty who don't, and won't because they might be going from one side of the town to the other 3/4 times a day and it adds up. I live on the southside and worked on the northside for a time, I could get to work in 7 minutes with the toll or about 20/25 minutes going through town, If I wanted to go home for lunch it would cost me another €3.80 to be able to spend more than 10 minutes at home, same goes for people picking up kids from schools etc and I don't know a lot of people that would be happy spending €7.60 a day to avoid traffic in their own town.

Why isn't there a relief road in the town then? There's been talk of bridges for god knows how many years but they never come to anything. There's been plenty of talk of conspiracy theories with the amount of extra traffic lights in the town, not to mention the lights at scotch hall and southgate shopping centres that are supposed to be sensor lights but somehow manage to not work on sensors when both shopping centres are closed?

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=72543741

SolvableKnave

the_syco wrote: »

Could you throw up a Google Maps link, please, of said road?

Here ya go. Donore Road. Two slip roads. Two tolls. Both on the Dundalk side of the bridge.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

SolvableKnave wrote: »

Here ya go. Donore Road. Two slip roads. Two tolls. Both on the Dundalk side of the bridge.

That is junction 9 south of the bridge. Junction 10 at mell is before the bridge and toll free coming from Dundalk.

As already stated. You only pay the toll if you use the tolled stretch of the road and the bridge. Just don't use it.

SolvableKnave

Adelaide Nervous Hedge wrote: »

That is junction 9 south of the bridge. Junction 10 at mell is before the bridge and toll free coming from Dundalk.

As already stated. You only pay the toll if you use the tolled stretch of the road and the bridge. Just don't use it.

Thats fair enough. And I avoid them at all cost. BUT, why have them on the slip roads in the first place?

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

SolvableKnave wrote: »

Thats fair enough. And I avoid them at all cost. BUT, why have them on the slip roads in the first place?

How else would you pay for using the bridge? The plaza is much further on. Do you want to have to drive to the plaza and then turn back to donore rd?

borderlinemeath

borderlinemeath wrote: »

You might use it, but there's plenty who don't, and won't because they might be going from one side of the town to the other 3/4 times a day and it adds up. I live on the southside and worked on the northside for a time, I could get to work in 7 minutes with the toll or about 20/25 minutes going through town, If I wanted to go home for lunch it would cost me another €3.80 to be able to spend more than 10 minutes at home, same goes for people picking up kids from schools etc and I don't know a lot of people that would be happy spending €7.60 a day to avoid traffic in their own town.

Why isn't there a relief road in the town then? There's been talk of bridges for god knows how many years but they never come to anything. There's been plenty of talk of conspiracy theories with the amount of extra traffic lights in the town, not to mention the lights at scotch hall and southgate shopping centres that are supposed to be sensor lights but somehow manage to not work on sensors when both shopping centres are closed?

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=72543741

Motoryways shouldn't be used for short hops, so it's not a bad thing that you don't use it to get across what is, in real terms, a small town.

SolvableKnave

Adelaide Nervous Hedge wrote: »

How else would you pay for using the bridge? The plaza is much further on. Do you want to have to drive to the plaza and then turn back to donore rd?

Thats a ridiculous statement. Your not using the bridge on that stretch of the road if your heading north or coming from that direction. Thats the problem. Your paying a toll for something your not using on your journey. They are the only tolled slip roads in the country.

borderlinemeath

Deleted User wrote: »

Motoryways shouldn't be used for short hops, so it's not a bad thing that you don't use it to get across what is, in real terms, a small town.

In real terms? Drogheda is one of the biggest towns in Ireland.

My point which I made earlier was that there is no outer relief road, such as the roads that surround Dundalk and Swords and greatly help the inhabitants of those towns from A to B. Have you ever lived in Drogheda? It's one thing passing through every so often, quite another to deal with the 15 sets of traffic lights through the centre of the town on a daily basis. I wouldn't care if the ramp tolls were still in use if there was a relief road with roundabouts rather than bloody traffic lights put in place and a new bridge built to cope with the extra traffic that the town has to cope with from both toll dodgers and new inhabitants.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

SolvableKnave wrote: »

Thats a ridiculous statement. Your not using the bridge on that stretch of the road if your heading north or coming from that direction. Thats the problem. Your paying a toll for something your not using on your journey. They are the only tolled slip roads in the country.

Please, please give an example of a route with a from A to B, as you just keep saying the slip road is tolled on the Dundalk side of the bridge. A bit of clarity might solve this whole thing. Where are you going to or coming from that you use the slip road without the motorway tolled section and cannot access by an unrolled route?

SolvableKnave

SolvableKnave wrote: »

Thats a ridiculous statement. Your not using the bridge on that stretch of the road if your heading north or coming from that direction. Thats the problem. Your paying a toll for something your not using on your journey. They are the only tolled slip roads in the country.

The section of the road that is tolled is between junction 10 and junction 7. The slip roads which are tolled are to ensure that anyone who uses any part of that stretch of motorway pays the toll, they don't pay the toll to use the slip roads.:rolleyes:
I'm not bothered going through every motorway but off the top of my head the Enfield by-pass has "tolled slip roads". Generally the reason for not "tolling slip roads" is long distances between junctions meaning that the stretch to be tolled is located within two junctions or there's a one-way junction in the middle.

borderlinemeath wrote: »

In real terms? Drogheda is one of the biggest towns in Ireland.

It's a small town in European terms or in World terms, i.e., anywhere but Ireland where we think every town and village "deserves" a motorway-grade bypass.

My point which I made earlier was that there is no outer relief road, such as the roads that surround Dundalk and Swords and greatly help the inhabitants of those towns from A to B. Have you ever lived in Drogheda? It's one thing passing through every so often, quite another to deal with the 15 sets of traffic lights through the centre of the town on a daily basis. I wouldn't care if the ramp tolls were still in use if there was a relief road with roundabouts rather than bloody traffic lights put in place and a new bridge built to cope with the extra traffic that the town has to cope with from both toll dodgers and new inhabitants.

So you want to build a new bridge to handle the people who won't pay the toll as it stands?