Council denies 'fixing' lights to cause slowdown

Authorities in Co Louth were last week accused of artificially creating traffic jams to force truck drivers to use the M1 motorway and toll booth. The accusation was dismissed as being "totally unfounded".

Motorists, bus drivers and taxi drivers complained of long tailbacks through Drogheda after the unannounced changing of the sequencing of traffic lights on the main road northbound the previous Thursday. The chairman of Drogheda's Taxi Owners' Association said the change was made by the council "on purpose" to make life so unbearable for truckers that they would be forced to use the motorway toll. "They're trying to force them onto the bypass," Kevin Falkner told Motors.

"They used the excuse that they were putting in a new loop system, but it conveniently slowed the traffic going through Drogheda. It was taking four changes of lights to get through the junction. It's a good excuse, but it's not good enough. It was organised on a Thursday evening for the Friday rush.

Falkner's claims are not beyond the bounds of possibilities. A similar claim was made in London in the lead-up to congestion charges in February 2003. Traffic speeds reportedly declined in the British capital prior to the introduction of the £5 charge and changed back to speed up traffic after its introduction. The theory was that the traffic light sequencing was altered to slow traffic to show that Congestion Charges were required, and altered again - after the charge was introduced - to demonstrate it was working.

Drogheda Borough Council spokeswoman Fiona Downes denied there was any conspiracy to force trucks off the "old road" on to the M1 bypass, and described the allegations as "totally unfounded". She added that there would be "slight delays" at the junction of West Street and the old N1 because of a new right turn out of the town centre. Heavy goods vehicles pay €4.90 to use the motorway as it bypasses Drogheda. But many continue to use the road through Drogheda to avoid paying the toll. The issue has been a bone of contention between the local authority and the National Roads Authority since the bypass opened last June.