THE growth of motor vehicles on Irish roads is a major headache for urban planners. But with commercial and private, traffic willing to pay to circumvent key areas of congestion, the far sighted group of risk capitalists who financed National Toll Roads, which operates both the West Link and East Link toll bridges in Dublin, are enjoying a smooth financial ride. Strong growth in traffic volumes, particularly on the high rise West Link bridge, helped elevate NTR's pre tax profits last year 60 per cent to £3.2 million.

Chairman Richard Hooper says the group is continuing to seek further opportunities in Ireland but warns there is a shortage of suitable infrastructural projects likely to attract the company. NTR has submitted proposals to the National Roads Authority for tolling key sections of the Dublin ring road, due to open later this year.

Toll revenue from the 7.3 million vehicles crossing the West Link last year rose £1.2 million to £6.5 million. At the East Link, revenues grew nearly 8 per cent to £4 million. Bank loans on the 10 year old East Link facility are almost completely repaid with loans on West Link trimmed back to £15 million.

The buoyant results leave NTR's bevy of private and institutional backers - chiefly Conor Holdings with a 38.6 per cent shareholding - cruising in top gear with total dividends worth £1.5 million.