Minister rules out new tolled sections on M50 until 2015

Motorists using the M50 will continue to pay tolls only at the West-Link bridge until at least 2015, Minister for Transport Martin Cullen has insisted.

Mr Cullen was giving details of the new barrier-free tolling system which is expected to be introduced at the bridge from August next year.

Mr Cullen said any extension of the toll area to other sections of the M50 would not be considered until "all the public transport alternatives" for the city were in place. It had widely been expected that the introduction of barrier-free tolling would coincide with tolling of more sections of the M50 than just the West-Link bridge, as part of measures to reduce congestion.

The Minister acknowledged that the reference to public transport alternatives related to Transport 21 which is scheduled for completion in 2015.

Mr Cullen confirmed there would be no mechanism to trace drivers of foreign-registered cars - including those from Northern Ireland - when the barrier-free system is introduced - unless an international treaty is agreed in the interim.

Mr Cullen introduced legislation in the Dáil last night to provide for penalties for traceable drivers who refused to pay the tolls.

Referring to a demand management study which was a condition of the planning permission for the upgrade of the M50, Mr Cullen said: "I want to be absolutely clear, the Government position is absolute on this: until such a time as all the public transport alternatives are in place, the Government will not consider any new demand management measures or tolling on the M50."

Mr Cullen said after the upgrade, the M50 would be greatly improved. Extra lanes would increase capacity by 50 per cent; there would be free-flow junctions and barrier-free tolls.

The National Roads Authority (NRA) said drivers using the West-Link bridge would have the option of registering their car details and paying in advance using an electronic tag.

Alternatively they could register their number plate which would be photographed, and they could pay by phone before 8pm the next day.

Another option would be paying a higher price upon receipt of a bill and failing that they would be traced using the national driver file and prosecuted in the courts. Registered users are to be granted discounts.

A consortium, BetEire Flow, comprising French companies Sanef, a toll operator, and CS, a systems designer, has been awarded the €113 million contract to install the system.

The NRA said its proposed system was modelled on worldwide best practice and it was confident of completing it by next year's deadline.

The authority also said difficulties which had prevented the Easy Pass tags operating on the N4 and the Dublin Port Tunnel would be solved in the near future.