Westlink tollbridge Fúckers!!!!!

Seth Brundle

RainyDay wrote:

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

again forcing motorists onto smaller ill-designed roads. The ambition of the local authorities in terms of road planning is to prevent rat runs through housing estates, etc. By your logic then they are deeming this to be a valid form of competition to a motorway (or rather an Irish style motorway!).

RainyDay wrote:

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?

There may be a loss of productivity from not having busses, etc. I never said there wasn't. However, it can be said without doubt that the M50 would be the biggest culprit. It can add up to an hour onto a simple journey to or from work. Workers (i.e. the general public) do not enjoy their commute to the point that they become stressed (Didnt Dublin or Ireland score poorly in a recent quality of life survey?). Furthermore, not only does the fact that many people who sit in their car for several hours per week because of this toll booth cause stress but they have to pay for the privilege!
Productivity and competitiveness is also lost whilst truckers and others sit waiting to pass over the poxy little bridge.
This bridge was built as part of a programme to improve traffic flows around Dublin. It slows it down. The government is planning on investing heavily (PPP?) in upgrading some of the interchanges into a more appropriate system. What really is the point if traffic on the motorway is not moving?

Read David McWilliams article again
http://www.davidmcwilliams.ie/Articles/view.asp?CategoryID=-1&CategoryName=&ArticleID=262

lomb

the bottom line is this.
the westlink and ntrs involvement in it has been bad value for the irish taxpayer.
no one can deny this not even ntr.
the toll plazas have resulted in major loss of productivity to the economy.

Borzoi

kbannon wrote:

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.

To give an example:
My firm is based in Finglas, by the end of the month we'll have a depot in Tallaght.

On a good day these two spots are 15-20 mins apart - on a bad day an hour and twenty.

In effect, to service our customers, we have to open a new site, with all the extra costs involved, purely because the linking roads are not up to the task - and most of any holdup is at that bloody bridge.

lomb

Borzoi wrote:

In effect, to service our customers, we have to open a new site, with all the extra costs involved, purely because the linking roads are not up to the task - and most of any holdup is at that bloody bridge.

Exactly my point. the loss to the economy over the last 10 years is into many many hundreds of millions of euros when added up. to put it simply if an exporter on the northside wishes to export goods out of ireland hauliers will tag on the extra time charge of a shi$y link road to the goods charge. but the effect of it is much more acute to anyone doing regular deliveries from north to south dublin.
the government really has screwed the people over make no mistake.

RainyDay

kbannon wrote:

There may be a loss of productivity from not having busses, etc. I never said there wasn't. However, it can be said without doubt that the M50 would be the biggest culprit. It can add up to an hour onto a simple journey to or from work. Workers (i.e. the general public) do not enjoy their commute to the point that they become stressed (Didnt Dublin or Ireland score poorly in a recent quality of life survey?). Furthermore, not only does the fact that many people who sit in their car for several hours per week because of this toll booth cause stress but they have to pay for the privilege!

You're exaggerating. There is no way that the toll bridge on its own adds an hour to any journey. If it is such a huge problem, why aren't more people using Eazypass to avoid delays?

I'd love to see some data to support your view that the M50 causes more delays than (for example) the absence of a Luas line or equivalent to the airport.

Seth Brundle

I think Borzoi gave a fairly good example!

Saruman

The first time i used it after i got back from the US after christmas/new year i had also left my car in for service. Some how there was some goo or something in the little place i keep my coins on the door arm rest. I put the coins in there and got up to the booth.. handed them to her, she made a face, i noticed i had not even given all to her and one was left so i took that and made her take that too.. she did not want to

Made me feel better.

I was there when the bridge opened, i walked across it and we were told 10 years it would be tolled and after that it would be free. yeah right...

RainyDay eazypass??? your kidding right... first you have to pay for the privilage and second its NOT faster.. The dedicated eazypass lane has the longest Q and i almost always get through quicker paying in cash at a booth than anyone at the no change auto booth or eazypass booth.
that willl not work till its like a lot of other countries and you can drive through at 60mph without stopping...

Johnny Storm

I have always found the staff at both the east and west link bridges to be exceptionally courteous and friendly

mobpd

Johnny Storm wrote:

I have always found the staff at both the east and west link bridges to be exceptionally courteous and friendly

..and which bridge do you work for?

Johnny Storm

mobpd wrote:

..and which bridge do you work for?

Just telling it like I see it. I mean they have a very tedious job to do and obviously have to deal with severe dickheads from time to time yet they are always friendly and courteous.

Seth Brundle

The staff are just working there (probably for a low wage). They have no control over prices, or NTR policy. No point getting peeved at them!

RainyDay

Saruman wrote:

and second its NOT faster.. The dedicated eazypass lane has the longest Q and i almost always get through quicker paying in cash at a booth than anyone at the no change auto booth or eazypass booth.

That's definitely not my experience. I fly through the eazypass lane, though almost all of my usage would be off-peak, so it might be different at peak time.

Be careful about paying cash if you have an eazypass - they have readers at ALL lanes, not just the dedicated eazypass lane - so you could be paying double.

Saruman

Off peak is fine. Its during peak times the whole system falls down.
afaik you can turn off the eazypass box if you want to pay cash.