Mr. Pat Maher:

On the proposed intervention in respect of the M50, the application of variable speed limits and lane control are primarily driven by considerations of safety and operation. There is a small capacity bonus but that is not the primary objective. We have to have realistic expectations in respect of capacity. There has been an increase of more than 30% and when collisions happen the implications for journey times are very severely impacted. Variable speed limits are a well used technique in other jurisdictions and we are unique in not having a provision for variable speed limits on our motorways.

Apart from the Dublin Port Tunnel, we do not use a red X control but, from a safety perspective, red X is very important, particularly for emergency services operatives. We always envisaged deploying this technology on the M50 and under all the big gantry structures there is a latticework with slots for electronic indicators to be made available. One of the advantages of having done this during the M50 upgrade is that we do not have to go back and cause significant disruption to road users while we are implementing the process. We do not have variable speed limits in our legislation at the moment but it is being addressed. We have been in consultation with the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport on the matter and the timeline is by late 2019 to dovetail with the deployment of the technology out on the route.

I note Deputy Eamon Ryan's comments about the M50 but there is no silver bullet. The measures we are taking are not a panacea. They flow from from the demand management report, published in 2014 and mandated in the planning approval by An Bord Pleanála for the M50 scheme in 2005. They are important measures but they will not fundamentally change the traffic characteristics of the M50. There was some discussion on fiscal measures, such as multipoint tolling, but ultimately these matters will have to be the subject of policy decisions by the Government and other policy makers.