Dismay at prospect of full tolling on M50

Residents associations, the AA and politicians in the vicinity of the M50 motorway have expressed dismay at the prospect of tolling on the entire M50.

Residents in Leopardstown/Sandyford said they were particularly aggrieved having just seen the final section of the M50 open last September.

Hugh O'Connor, a committee member of the Gallops Residents Association in Leopardstown, said the toll would affect the area in two ways: it amounted to a congestion charge on those who commuted along the motorway to the business and industrial area of west Dublin and it would force traffic off the motorway into the local roads around Leopardstown/Sandyford and Dundrum.

"When the M50 was only open to Tallaght and then to Ballinteer tiny roads like Blackglen Road were a nightmare" he said.

Olivia Mitchell, Fine Gael transport spokeswoman who is based in the Sandyford Road, Dundrum area, said Minister for Transport Martin Cullen "should spare a thought for the many years of misery" endured on locals.

"My own constituency is just recovering from 20 years of construction hell arising from the completion of the M50. Now motorists and residents across Dublin are facing up to a further 10 years of disruption, which they will be expected to pay for, even if they are only driving on a small portion of the motorway."

AA spokesman Conor Faughnan said: "No matter how you dress it up or what you do with it, where you have a toll - electronic or not - as sure as apples fall from the trees you will have people diverting to avoid the tolls."

Mr Faughnan said there was ample evidence that lorries were diverting through Drogheda to avoid the toll on the M1; through Enfield to avoid the toll on the N4 and would certainly choose the western suburbs of Chapelizod, Clondalkin and the Phoenix Park to avoid the tolls.

He also gave examples of the suburbs of Finglas, Blanchardstown, Dundrum and Sandyford as places where traffic would become congested.