Mr. Pat Maher:

As Deputy Brophy points out, the M50 demand management study of 2014 identified a number of initiatives which could be employed on the M50. Ultimately, fiscal measures were identified as the only long-term effective means of managing congestion on the M50. A number of other areas were identified as short and medium-term measures.

We have undertaken a number of initiatives relating to the M50. It is important to point out that traffic on the M50 has been growing very much in line with the rebound in the economic sphere. For example, last year there was 7% growth, 6% the previous year and 5% the year before that. Take, for example, the section between the Lucan and Blanchardstown exits, where the existing toll is approximately 135,000 vehicles daily. To deal with that we have improved junction layouts in terms of merging, to smooth the flow of traffic in and that has helped. We work closely with our colleagues and counterparts in different agencies including the Garda Síochana, the local authorities and the fire service, in relation to expediting and improving responses to incidents as they occur. One of the key things is that as there is more congestion, there is a disproportionate increase in incidents such as rear-end collisions, and when traffic is on a knife-edge in its capacity the consequences of those incidents can be very severe. We have a very active inter-agency co-ordination group on traffic management and that has contributed significantly to improvements in efficiency in the way we deal with incidents as they occur. Recently, we have put up new signage identifying signed diversion routes for traffic if an incident occurs. All of this is helpful to the road user when faced with a significant delay on the M50.

We have also commenced work on a scheme for the deployment of variable speed limits on the M50. That involves, first, the installation of lane-control signalling, which allows us to better manage the traffic in the event of incidents and it also allows for us to more safely manage the M50; in other words, if an incident occurs in a lane we can close it down. It protects the people involved and the emergency services. As part of that, the intelligence transport system infrastructure, ITS - the variable message signs - will allow for the deployment of variable speed limits. As congestion builds, if one reduces the speed of the traffic, then counter-intuitively, one allows a greater capacity to get through. The primary benefit is safety but there is a benefit to capacity; when one slows down the traffic and increases headway, one avoids stop-start traffic. This is something that has been employed quite effectively in the UK and other European countries. We are working on a scheme with the intention of having it up and running in 2019. That will buy us some time in relation to the performance of the M50. Ultimately, if traffic volumes continue to rise as they are, we will experience further congestion. At that point, a decision will have to be made in respect of the M50 as to the implementation of fiscal measures such as additional tolling, to achieve a better management of demand. Before that happens, the necessary public transport alternatives need to be in place, but we do need to look at that scenario. The year 2023 was identified as the horizon in the April 2014 demand management report. By next year we will be more or less at the traffic volumes that were envisaged in 2014.