Rabbitte blames toll bridge for road chaos

Labour party leader Mr Pat Rabbitte pleaded yesterday for the State to buy out at least part of the franchise for the Dublin Westlink toll bridge to deal with "intolerable" crisis traffic.

"For God's sake, we can't persist with this toll plaza on a distributor road," he said. "At least throw it open at peak times."

He also condemned the Garda for "no policing" of traffic chaos when "a simple temporary obstacle can have disastrous implications". Gardaí "once in a blue moon tootle by on their motorbikes, oblivious to the world of any minor obstacle".

He also called on the Minister for Transport to have a dedicated Garda traffic corps and "deal with resistance from the Garda" in the way he dealt with the penalty-points system. There should be no tolerance of turf wars" or the "dithering" of the previous government on transport issues.

None of the agencies, the Garda, the local authority, the National Roads Authority, accepted responsibility but the "aggravation and frustration for citizens who can't get to work in the morning is intolerable".

Throwing open the toll bridge at peak times was money that would return to the State tenfold, he said.

The Government should go into negotiation to buy back the franchise for the toll bridge and acquire it by compulsory purchase order if necessary. It would be a fraction of the economic cost of the current delays.

Raising the issue on the adjournment of the Dáil, Mr Rabbitte said that at peak times the congestion on the M50, the Red Cow roundabout and the Naas road was in crisis.

"On occasion it comes to a halt entirely and it is not immediately apparent why this happens. At best at peak times, it scarcely moves."

The Minister of State, Mr Brian Lenihan, who answered for the Transport Minister, expressed his concern at the traffic chaos in the area. He said he would raise the issue of buying out at least part of the franchise with the Minister for Transport, Mr Brennan, although "given the value the franchise represents, the purchase of the entirety of it would be very expensive for the State".

Mr Lenihan, Fianna Fáil TD for Dublin West, said a second bridge would be open later in the year and he believed that would alleviate some of the traffic on the toll bridge.

He said the two Luas lines were expected to be completed by early next year. "It is disappointing that slippage has occurred in the construction programme and the Minister urges all of the companies involved to do all in their power to ensure that no further delays take place."