Wait continues for service areas

How long does it take to open a coffee shop? Or build a petrol station? A year? More? Well considerably more than that, if the State's proposed motorway service areas are anything to go by. According to the State's e-tendering website last week, the Government, after years of planning for 12 service areas and even identifying likely locations, is now ready to provide just three rest stops with food, lavatories, Garda areas and petrol sales.

The notice also added: "All such elements of work set out above are approximate only and may be reduced or added to . . ."

The then minister for transport Seamus Brennan had set himself against the development of motorway service areas on the grounds that towns and villages which were being bypassed would lose the custom from passing trade. Things became plain silly when elaborate devices were promised at the hearing into the toll arrangements for the N4 motorway. Here the National Roads Authority (NRA) revealed that the plan was to allow motorists to pay the toll heading west, then leave the motorway and visit Enfield Co Meath, and return to the motorway without paying a second toll. But only if they completed their rest stop within a prescribed period.

Next, Minister for Transport Martin Cullen promised to consider the introduction of service areas. But the NRA decreed in 2004 that the service areas should not be located on the "mainline" carriageways, largely for safety reasons.

By 2005 Mr Cullen said the benefits of bypassing smaller towns would be lost if motorists and hauliers were forced back into them for fuel and lavatory facilities. He hoped the NRA would have a change of vision - which it duly had.If the motorway service areas were off the main carriageways, then the motorway junctions would become out-of-town shopping areas, it reasoned.

Better to have the motorway service areas on the main carriageways and put in safety measures (like every other European country), it decreed. So last June the authority said it was seeking expressions of interest from those in the private sector interested in providing the motorway service areas. It identified 12 locations along the existing motorway network but refused to reveal where they were.

In September last year the authority announced - roughly - the location of the 12 areas and said it was "close to issuing a call for property developers to build the authority's first motorway service areas".

Locations which are about 60km from Dublin included the Arklow bypass on the N11; north of Carlow on the proposed M9; the Monasterevin bypass on the M7; Kinnegad on the M6 and Blundlestown on the proposed M3.

And then on May 1st, 2007, the NRA announced "Tranche 1 service areas on the national roads network" on the e-tendering website.

The notice details how the authority "may include rest areas" and "further details will be provided to participants at the next stage of the competition".

It also includes complex wording to the effect that the contract is intended to comprise "in particular, but without limitation" construction of facilities for motorists and their passengers.However it reiterates the point that any decision will be at the authority's "absolute discretion".

It seems like it will be some time yet before we'll be fed and watered on our motorways.