West-Link barrier-free tolling system attacked

The proposed barrier-free tolling system for the M50 should be dropped in favour of a two cent levy on fuel, according to the Automobile Association (AA). At a hearing into the National Roads Authority's (NRA) plan today, the AA and five other parties will outline their opposition to the barrier-free toll scheme due to start next August.

Conor Faughnan, AA Ireland public affairs manager, said that while removing the barriers would relieve some of the worst daily traffic congestion in the State, the proposal to replace it with a barrier-free tolling system would be "scandalously wasteful".

According to the AA, the installation and running of a system of microchips and digital imaging, sited on a gantry close to the current toll plaza, would be "enormously expensive and complex". This system will result in up to 30 per cent of the €80 million collected from motorists in tolls being consumed in annual running and administration costs, Mr Faughnan said. "It would be far simpler and easier to add two cent per litre to fuel excise duty as an infrastructure levy. This would raise over €90 million per annum without any complications."

The NRA will take control of the West-Link from next August after buying out the NTR contract for €488 million. Cars currently pay €1.90 to cross the West-Link, but this fee is set to rise to €2 in 2008.

Under the NRA plan, when barrier-free tolling is introduced, motorists who pre-register their vehicle and provide card details will pay €2.50. Those who do not pre-register will be charged €3. Motorists with an electronic tag will continue to pay €2.

The NRA is required to hold a public hearing into toll charge changes where objections are received, and its plan has prompted six parties, including the National Consumer Agency and the Irish Road Haulage Association (IRHA), to lodge an objection.

The new toll charges have been described as excessive by the consumer body, which says that for occasional users, the purchase of an electronic tag does not make economic sense.

The Consumer Agency is also concerned that all electronic tag providers operating in Ireland charge a monthly administrative fee with a high top-up threshold and a high minimum top-up amount. These circumstances result in a considerable rise in the real cost to consumers of electronic tolling and are, in effect, hidden toll charges, the agency says.

Hauliers are objecting to the plan on the basis that they want to see HGVs exempted from tolls, once the West-Link transfers into State hands. IRHA president Jimmy Quinn said barrier-free tolls on the M50 would "effectively become a demand management tool once the ownership transfers, and trucks should not be included as there is no other option for hauliers".

This point is also made by the AA on behalf of private motorists. Mr Faughnan accused the NRA of being disingenuous about the true purpose of the barrier-free tolls, saying it was less about paying for the upgrade of the M50 and buying out NTR, and more about demand management.

"It is inescapable that the collection costs for this project are going to be enormous," he said.

"Now, unless the NRA has another purpose for setting up this system, there has to be a more effective way of spending €25 million a year.

"The best way to manage traffic on the M50 is to provide alternatives . . . spending it on the cost of toll collection is not," he added.

The NRA last night defended its approach, saying it was critical that the West-Link toll plaza be removed.

Barrier-free tolling offers the best chance to "maximise the efficiency of the M50 so that upgrades undertaken at the cost of almost a billion euro gives the user and the operator the maximum return," an NRA spokesman said. He added that "single point tolling is the current strategy".

The NRA has recently completed a demand management study on the M50, and has submitted it to the Minister for Transport, Noel Dempsey.

Today's hearing is being chaired by former Central Bank governor Maurice O'Connell and will take place at Croke Park.

It is expected Mr O'Connell will make recommendations by the end of next month.