Dublin motorists give their reaction to the new West Link toll bridge built to avoid city centre traffic and save time.
The West Link Toll Bridge was officially opened on 11 March 1990 by Taoiseach Charles Haughey. Costing £30 million, construction began in 1988. Two years later the 3.2km road and bridge which spans the Strawberry Beds and the river Liffey, links the Navan and Lucan dual carriageways. It has been described as
The most expensive stretch of road in Irish history.
The development of a northern and southern cross motorway to link Bray and Dublin Airport is also part of the plan for the expansion of Dublin's roads.
The toll for cars on the West Link bridge is 60p, £1 for buses and vans and up to £2 for heavy commercial vehicles.
In its fifth day of operation, Tom McCaffrey from National Toll Roads, which also operates the East Link bridge at Dublin’s Point Depot, is happy with how business is going.
The trucking people, and indeed the car people feel that the tolls as we presently are charging, are good value.
Motorists using the road have said the time saving is the biggest incentive for them to use it,
It’ll take about half an hour off the journey.
It’s about 10-15 minutes from Clondalkin over to Blanchardstown, that’s very handy.
I’ve come from Sligo, and I’m going on to Glasnevin, and I hope I’ve taken a short cut.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 16 March 1990. The reporter is Jeri Ward.
