THE NEW year will bring good news for motorists with the completion of the M50 upgrade and toll reductions for the Dublin Port Tunnel.
Both the northbound and southbound mainline sections of the M50 will be completed by the end of January, a spokesman for the National Roads Authority (NRA) said yesterday.
Upgrading of a number of junctions on the motorway, including the N2 and N3 junctions, will continue for a number of months but should be completed by Easter, he said.
When completed, all junctions will be free flowing with no traffic lights.
The upgrade, which is costing €1 billion, involves converting the route from two lanes to three and improving major junctions.
Tolls on the tunnel are being reduced to €3 at all times over the Christmas period, from Christmas Day to January 2nd, the NRA has said.
In the new year, tolls are being reduced from €12 to €10 during the morning (6am to 10am) and evening (4 pm to 7 pm) rush-hour periods and from €6 to €3 at all other times. Use of the tunnel remains free for heavy goods vehicles.
The NRA, which operates the tunnel, says it remains committed to priority use for HGVs and buses but adds that increased capacity on the upgraded M50 and the opening of the Macken Street bridge in the city will allow it use ‘‘residual capacity’’ in the tunnel to accommodate more cars.
Some 15,000 vehicles use the tunnel during the week, of which 6,000 are HGVs. Weekend use drops to 8,500, of which 1,700 are HGVs.
However, while Port Tunnel charges are dropping, there will be no change next year in toll charges on the main motorways around the country, despite current deflation rates of almost 6 per cent. These are operated by private companies which have informed the authority they do not intend to reduce tolls next year.
According to the NRA spokesman, toll increases are limited to increases in the consumer price index. However, when prices fall, there is no mechanism to force a reduction in tolls.
The NRA also announced yesterday that regular closures of the Port Tunnel are being moved from Friday and Saturday nights to Wednesday and Thursday nights.
The authority says the new arrangement will be tried out for three months from mid-February.
Currently, the tunnel closes from 11 pm to 7 am on weekend nights but from February 17th it will close on Wednesday and Thursday nights from 11pm to 5.30am.