Westlink tollbridge Fúckers!!!!!

lomb

so noone worried about paying 8-10 euros in 3 years to cross the link
?

Seth Brundle

lomb wrote:

so noone worried about paying 8-10 euros in 3 years to cross the link
?

Surely we will all be driving hover cars like in the films so we won't need a road! Personally, Im thinking of getting this

MrPudding

What actually annoys me about toll bridge, aside from the normal stuff, is that it is more expensive to use eazypass. I think it should be cheaper. It is faster and should be cheaper for NTR in the long run.

MrP

fjon

MrPudding wrote:

What actually annoys me about toll bridge, aside from the normal stuff, is that it is more expensive to use eazypass. I think it should be cheaper. It is faster and should be cheaper for NTR in the long run.

MrP

I don't think that's right. You're supposed to get a discount (10% maybe) for the first 6 months using it, and then pay the regular fare. How is that more expensive?

MrPudding

fjon wrote:

I don't think that's right. You're supposed to get a discount (10% maybe) for the first 6 months using it, and then pay the regular fare. How is that more expensive?

You also have to pay a monthly account management fee. It isn't much but it is a dis-incentive to some people.

And besides, my point is it should be cheaper, not the same.

MrP

mobpd

Co-incidentally I checked out the easypass.ie webiste myself today - and you're right there is NO discount - I have emailed info@eazypass.ie to query this - I remember seeing banners at the Toll plaza before with say 10% reduction but I reckon that they are time limited 'offers' (!)

What on earth is the admin fee about ? insurance costs they say. effectively you are paying for the magic toggle? How many people actually lose them - surely they stay in the car permanently?

Its all a huge money making racket.........I'd love to be a shareholder and share in those profits.

Our man in Havana

MrPudding wrote:

You also have to pay a monthly account management fee. It isn't much but it is a dis-incentive to some people.

And besides, my point is it should be cheaper, not the same.

MrP

Indeed!

If they dropped the account management fees and gave the 10% discount all the time, I am sure easy pass would be a sucess. It would save NTR having to bank all that cash everyday.

lomb

Bond-007 wrote:

Indeed!

If they dropped the account management fees and gave the 10% discount all the time, I am sure easy pass would be a sucess. It would save NTR having to bank all that cash everyday.

the 10% wont make any difference anyway when tolls are 10 euro.
the reality is it is a money making racket and an amateur one at that. if anyone has ever used a french toll road one could see that in a second. there isnt any need for easypass. in france as soon as the credit card is inserted out it pops with a receipt in 2 seconds and ur on ur way.
easypass is a con.

MrPudding

How can 10% not make any difference? Surely it makes a 10% difference?

You have obviously never used the French version of Eazypass then. It rocks. You barely need to slow down. There are no barriers in the designated lanes and the traffic streams through.

currently eazypass is bullsh1t. IF they worked it right it would be very good. It is fast and easy.

MrP

lomb

10 % is nothing. that discount when it existed is basically to give the baby his bottle.
the toll should never have been in place in the first place and soon when it is 8 euro-10 euro giving 10% off this is a joke when there shouldnt even b a toll.

can u imagine u paying 16 - 18 euro a day to use it. what differenve will 10% of this make ie 14-16 euros. when u should not be paying anything.
for fu^k sakes people should stand up and tell them to fu^k off.

PhoenixRising

lomb wrote:

for fu^k sakes people should stand up and tell them to fu^k off.

Exactly. People who feel strongly enough about it should at least email NTR to express their discontent at this latest 20% rise or make an effort to avoid the using the bridge if at all possible. The government should also be put under some pressure to do something about it. Send an email to your local TD while you're at it.

info@ntr.ie is the contact email listed on their website.

mike65

Anyone here catch the interviews on this with Matt Cooper this evening (Tuesday)? No-one from the NTR would come on air but David McWiliams had plenty to say while Michael Egan of NRA actually suggested driver could avoid the toll by seeking other routes! Now many of us know Egans form but to suggest avoiding a half-decent road in favour of turning side roads and estates into rat-runs takes the buscuit!

McWillams had the best solution (to avoid legal wrangles with NTR) the government should fund a new bridge to be built right beside the current one and ppl can make thier choice!

Mike.

Seth Brundle

I heard the interview. He is right on how government policy was following a path on bringing all public motorways towards a private toll booth without first providing some competition to it. The example he cited about the French Autoroutes running parallel to the ordinary (free but slower) national routes was a good one.
There has to be some greased palms out there!

RainyDay

kbannon wrote:

The example he cited about the French Autoroutes running parallel to the ordinary (free but slower) national routes was a good one.

Just like the Westlink - If you don't like the €1.80 fee, take the alternative free (but slower/longer) route through Palmerstown, Chapelizon, Knockmaroon Hill & Castleknock instead.

lomb

there is a massive difference between the autoroutes and the toll bridge here. tolls on autoroutes are for the road. tolls here are for bridges.
now the westlink cost 30million euro 70000 cars daily use the link. that means 70000+euro a day=20+million a year.
how the hell could the government agree to give that deal to anyone without bribes changing hands. why arent these f%^kers in jail?

MrPudding

lomb wrote:

why arent these f%^kers in jail?

Because luckily it is not what you know (or think you know) but what you can prove that puts people in jail. A small fact that has kept many wrongly accused people out of jail.

MrP

lomb

what and there isnt any evidence againt c haughey. for god sakes he hasnt even come up against a jury.
this guy should be strung up from the westlink.

eth0_

impr0v wrote:

It's hard to see how a 20% rise is justified, especially with inflation now under control.

Duh, it's the LUAS taking business off the toll bridges, along with poor old Dublin bus! lol!

I wonder how many times over that bridge has been paid for!

The Skye Bridge toll in Scotland was abolished last week and the Scottish parliament are looking to get rid of tolls on all bridges that have been paid for. Let's hope Ireland might follow suit.

Tommy Vercetti

RainyDay wrote:

Just like the Westlink - If you don't like the €1.80 fee, take the alternative free (but slower/longer) route through Palmerstown, Chapelizon, Knockmaroon Hill & Castleknock instead.

wow thanks for that useless advice :rolleyes:

Kali

The one thing I find annoying is not the increase itself but the lack of thought behind it, to get €1.80 I need a minimum of 4 coins whereas €1.50 was a min of 2... its a complete pain in the ass and is leading to bigger queues at the toll bridge while people search for that last 10cents... most peak mornings it takes less than 4 minutes from the N4/m50 roundabout to the tollbridge.. this morning and yesterday (despite absolutely no traffic on other routes) I was sitting there for over 6, with queues going well upto the top of the slip-road.

Anyway on another related point, do NTR take the full 1.80 or is there a share at all that goes to the government and road-funding?

Seth Brundle

The guy on the Last Word was telling how there was a strange algorithm for calculating it but (IIRC) in reality the Govt gets about €1 of the €1.80. This also includes VAT

lomb

i think this thread should be made a sticky-to help prevent future toll rises.
ive already emailed the minister for transport not that it will do anything.

MrPudding

Kali wrote:

The one thing I find annoying is not the increase itself but the lack of thought behind it, to get €1.80 I need a minimum of 4 coins whereas €1.50 was a min of 2... its a complete pain in the ass and is leading to bigger queues at the toll bridge while people search for that last 10cents...

Get eazypass. I hardly ever use the toll bridges but I am so sh1t at having the cash on me when I do use them that I got eazypass. I am not in the least bit impressed with the account fee or the fact that there is no discount but, I like it and it saves me hassle. Once the legislation goes through regarding passing the toll without paying the barriers on the eazypass lane will hopefully be removed and it will be even faster.

MrP

mobpd

MrPudding wrote:

Once the legislation goes through regarding passing the toll without paying the barriers on the eazypass lane will hopefully be removed and it will be even faster.

MrP

what legislation?

also do you check your Eazypass account? If so, have you had any incorrect deductions ?

ando

Kali wrote:

its a complete pain in the ass and is leading to bigger queues at the toll bridge while people search for that last 10cents

(NTR Thinking) .... only one solution then, better increase the toll to €2

lomb

NAH ntr thinking is increase to an even fiver so no need to fob about with change.
the funny thing is the bastards have called themselves national toll roads.
sure they dont own a single road or run one. its all a con.

RainyDay

Tommy Vercetti wrote:

wow thanks for that useless advice :rolleyes:

It may be unpalatable, but it happens to be the truth. The original poster was highlighting the existance of free alternative routes in France as if this put Ireland in the dark ages. I just wanted to keep things in context.

As long as drivers keep paying the fees, they're going to keep increasing them. It's called the 'free market economy'.

lomb

the contract was for 10 years. it was then to revert to the public. whats happened? theve been given a 10 year extension in order to build the extra lane that isnt even needed. the only reason traffic cloggs up there is due to the toll booths. remove the toll booths and the problem solves itself.

can any one answer what has the loss of productivity been to the irish economy due to the congestion at the toll booths. i think ntr as they call themselves are responsible for more than just the fleecing of the 70000 motorists daily.

Seth Brundle

I think RainyDay is referring to my point about France. Correct, in France the autoroutes are an option which provide faster travel. However, they often run in parallel to high quality national roads which are free albeit slower. Here the M50 brisge has no competition. If you want to avoid the bridge you must leave the motorway, travel to lucan, then northwards to clonee and back out onto the M50 via the N3 - a route dominated by 'B' roads.

Also the toll bridge doesn't just affect traffic crossing the bridge but all the traffic (mainly) from Tallaght to the Finglas exits.

The loss of productivity could not be accurately measured but undoubtedly it costs millions per year.

RainyDay

kbannon wrote:

Here the M50 brisge has no competition. If you want to avoid the bridge you must leave the motorway, travel to lucan, then northwards to clonee and back out onto the M50 via the N3 - a route dominated by 'B' roads.

Or take the Palmerstown/Chapelizod/Castleknock route - so there are loads of options available to the motorist.

kbannon wrote:

The loss of productivity could not be accurately measured but undoubtedly it costs millions per year.

I don't think this logic stands up. What is the loss of productivity by not having twice as many buses available from Dublin Bus? Or by having another LUAS line to the airport? Why would the M50 bridge be given priority on the Govt spending program?