Reaction to the government decision to buyout the West-Link Toll Bridge.
The government has confirmed that it is to buy the West-Link toll bridge in Dublin for €600 million.
Transport Minister Martin Cullen has said he expects the decision to result in quicker journey times for motorists. However the Automobile Association (AA) disputes this and does not believe it is not a good day for motorists. Talks are ongoing between the company which owns the bridge, National Toll Roads, and the National Roads Authority to finalise the details of the buy out.
Now they've said yes to a cool 600 million from the government.
National Toll Roads (NTR) turned down Senator Shane Ross's request to temporarily raise the barriers at the West-Link toll plaza after he offered them a cheque for €10,000. However, they have said yes to a government cheque of €600 million, which works out at €50 million a year or nearly €1 million a week until 2020, the original deadline for the buyout.
While the barriers on the bridge will be raised in August next year, motorists will still have to pay "invisible tolls". Drivers will have to register to use the bridge and display an electronic tag which will be scanned each time they cross the bridge and a charge will be made to their account.
Motorists who refuse to pay the toll will be prosecuted.
The buyout comes 20 years after George Redmond, the since imprisoned Dublin Assistant City and County manager and Padraig Flynn Minister for the Environment at the time signed the original deal on behalf of the state. The West-Link was opened by then Taoiseach Charles Haughey.
Minister for Transport Mr Martin Cullen speaking at a press conference stated,
Discussions are about to conclude between the NRA and NTR in relation to the removal of NTR from West-Link.
On top of the pay out an additional 113 million euro plus VAT is to be paid by tax payers to a French private company which won the contract for electronic tolling.
When the barriers come down on the M50, and motorists can enjoy the sight of the West-Link toll station being demolished, drivers will have to pay those electronic tolls. Conor Faughnan from the AA says that instead of paying tolls to the NTR, motorists will now be paying tolls directly to the state. The AA is not confident that removing the physical payment at the bridge will make journey times any faster during rush hours.
Taoiseach Bertie Ahern said that the tolls will be paid to the state to offset the cost of purchasing the bridges, and motorists will continue to pay them until 2035.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 20 February 2007. The reporter is Jonathan Clynch.
