Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 80: To ask the Minister for Transport his proposals for management of the estimated 7,000 additional heavy goods vehicles which will be obliged to use the Westlink toll bridge following the opening of the Dublin Port tunnel, in view of the existing serious congestion on the M50 and the long delays at the toll bridge; the policy directions he has given to the National Roads Authority in respect of its most recent negotiations with NTR as provided for under Section 41 of the Roads Act 1993; if he has given direction on this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29726/05]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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Traffic management in general is a matter for the appropriate local authority and in the case of the M50, the city centre and the vicinity of Dublin Port, that authority is Dublin City Council.

As a major new element in the capital's road network, the port tunnel will have a considerable beneficial impact on traffic flow in the Dublin area. It will be of particular benefit in facilitating improved access to Dublin Port for heavy goods vehicles while reducing HGV traffic in the city. The National Roads Authority and Dublin City Council are working to ensure that the tunnel, when open, will integrate smoothly with the road network.

In parallel with the opening to traffic of the Dublin Port tunnel, Dublin City Council will be introducing a heavy goods vehicle traffic management strategy to ensure that maximum traffic benefits are secured from the Dublin Port tunnel.

My Department's formal role will be to put in place the necessary regulatory framework relating to traffic and parking management and road signage to support the strategy. In addition, the Department will continue to liaise with Dublin City Council as the strategy is finalised, so that I may be assured that the primary objective of the Dublin Port tunnel — to provide a high quality access route to Dublin Port for heavy goods vehicles — is achieved in a manner which maximises the overall traffic benefit of the tunnel. The issue of increased traffic on the M50 due to larger volumes of heavy goods vehicles must be considered in the context of the current average of 85,000 vehicles per day on the West Link section. In the first half of this year, between Monday and Friday, average daily traffic was running at 98,000 vehicles. The solution to peak hour congestion on the M50 requires the implementation of the M50 upgrade project and, as part of this, a move to free flow tolling at the West Link bridge.

In this context, the M50 upgrade motorway scheme and environmental impact statement were published in September 2004 and approved by An Bord Pleanála in April 2005. The upgrade involves the widening of approximately 32 km of the motorway from two to three lanes in each direction, from the M50-M1 interchange near Dublin Airport through to the Sandyford interchange, and the upgrade of ten junctions along this length. The NRA envisages that a design and build contract will be awarded by December 2005 for phase 1, the N4-N7 section, and a contract to expand the West Link section operated by National Toll Roads to three-plus-three motorway will be awarded during 2006. The public-private partnership contract for the remainder of the upgrade project is also expected to be awarded during 2006.

Additional information not given on the floor of the House.

The NRA, in the context of the proposed upgrade of the M50, is in negotiation with National Toll Roads regarding the upgrade of the section of the M50 operated by NTR. These negotiations are addressing the upgrading of both the road section and the tolling arrangements. No policy direction has been given to the NRA under section 41 of the Roads Act 1993 in the context of these negotiations. The NRA is, however, well aware of my objective to secure significantly enhanced capacity and an increased level of service on the M50 for road users, including through an early move to barrier free tolling. The NRA will report to me on the outcome of these negotiations.

Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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I assume the Minister accepts there will be a significant increase in traffic volume on the M50, particularly in the vicinity of the West Link bridge, as a result of the opening of the Dublin Port tunnel. My question asked what proposals the Minister had for managing the imminent increase in traffic volume, particularly of heavy goods vehicles, on the West Link toll bridge. We know traffic in the area is chaotic, with the M50 operating to capacity and daily reports of the problems associated with queuing at the toll bridge. A further 7,000 trucks per day will use the M50 and West Link toll bridge when the port tunnel opens. This is a recipe for chaos and gridlock on the outer fringes of Dublin.

In answer to my question, the Minister attempted to pass the buck by referring to a variety of agencies. He knows perfectly well that Dublin City Council has no role in respect of the West Link. The council is doing one thing in the city centre, the National Roads Authority something else on the outskirts and National Tolls Roads and Fingal County Council are also involved. It appears nobody is in charge despite the fact that we face chaos when the port tunnel opens next year. Traffic on the M50 is bad enough as it is. What are the Minister's proposals for managing the major problems which will arise in the middle of next year when Dublin Port tunnel opens?

The Minister referred to open road tolling, an issue he has been talking about for a long time. Legislation is required to introduce this system which is urgently needed on the West Link. What is the Minister's target date for introducing open road tolling? A number of proposals have been made to lift the toll gates on an experimental basis to encourage greater use of the road at off-peak times. Has the Department carried out a cost benefit analysis in respect of the possibility of lifting the toll gates or the impact such an initiative would have on traffic flows?

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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I fundamentally disagree with the Deputy's opening remarks. Dublin City Council, not the Minister for Transport, is the authority responsible for this matter.

Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Dublin City Council is responsible for Dublin Port tunnel, not the M50.

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy should not try to pass the buck for responsibilities with which Labour Party councillors and other members of Dublin City Council are charged.

Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Dublin City Council has no responsibility for the M50 or the West Link toll bridge.

Séamus Pattison (Carlow-Kilkenny, Labour)
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Order, please. Allow the Minister to continue without interruption.

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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I did not interrupt the Deputy. Dublin City Council is responsible for traffic management in conjunction——

Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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It is responsible for traffic management in the city.

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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It is specifically responsible for managing port tunnel traffic.

Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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It has no responsibility for the M50.

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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Even if the Deputy does not like my answer, she should at least give me a chance to give it.

Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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The Minister should tell the truth and stop pretending Dublin City Council has any role in the M50.

Séamus Pattison (Carlow-Kilkenny, Labour)
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Please allow the Minister to continue without interruption.

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy's behaviour is typical of the Labour Party which is in control——

Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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That is not true.

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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Her party tries to absolve city and county councils of their failures on a weekly basis.

Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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The Minister should stop trying to change the subject.

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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I am not changing the subject.

Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Traffic management on the M50 has nothing to do with the city council.

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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There is no point in the Deputy tabling a question if she does not want me to answer it.

Séamus Pattison (Carlow-Kilkenny, Labour)
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Allow the Minister to speak without interruption.

Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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He should answer the question honestly.

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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I have been specific in answering the question. Dublin City Council is the authority responsible for traffic management in Dublin. The council is in consultation with the National Roads Authority about the M50 and the toll bridge to work out traffic management solutions for the period after Dublin Port tunnel opens.

Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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What are the solutions?

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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Like the Deputy, I would like to see them.

Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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As the Minister for Transport, he is in charge.

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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Dublin City Council, not the Minister for Transport, is responsible for traffic management in Dublin. I have encouraged the NRA to——

Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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The Minister should not be so disingenuous.

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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Would the Deputy support legislation to transfer further powers from local authorities to the Department and Minister?

Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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The Minister should stop changing the subject. That issue has nothing to do with my question. What is he doing to meet his responsibilities?

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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As we speak, the body with responsibility for planning in this regard is Dublin City Council, as is the case with the respective councils in Limerick, Galway, Cork, Waterford and elsewhere. If the Deputy is arguing that her party's councillors on Dublin City Council, working with council officials, do not have the capacity or ability to do this job and a special case must be made for Dublin, the Department will reconsider the position.

Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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What is the Minister doing?

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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I am telling the Deputy what I am doing. I am waiting. I have asked the——

Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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He dropped the strategic infrastructure Bill.

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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As the Bill will have little to do with traffic management in Dublin, the Deputy should not to throw it into the hat.

Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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It is very much in the hat. The Government spent €1 billion on building a tunnel for which there is no purpose and no clear plan and, as such, deserves to be criticised.

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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I was the originator of the Bill and it has no provisions for traffic management in Dublin. I have tried to impart a great deal of information to the Deputies about the position of the National Roads Authority, National Toll Roads and other bodies but, as usual, the minute I start to answer the question the Deputies start to interrupt me.

Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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We will not be taken in by the Minister's tricks.

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy is using tricks.

Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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The Minister raised issues which are not relevant. I asked him a question about the West Link toll bridge which is within the boundaries of Fingal County Council.

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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Rather than giving me a chance to answer, the Deputy started to rant the moment I spoke.

Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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The factual position is that the West Link toll bridge is in the Fingal County Council area and has nothing to do with Dublin City Council. Given that approximately 7,000 additional heavy goods vehicles will use the West Link toll bridge daily in six months, what, if anything, is the Minister planning to do to manage this development which has the potential to bring the city to a standstill? That was my first question. Second, what is his target date for introducing the long-promised system of open road tolling?

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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Again, the two answers are clear. Like the Deputy, I urge Dublin City Council to fulfil its responsibility to put in place a traffic management plan. The Deputy pretends this responsibility lies elsewhere.

Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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That is not the case. The Minister is misleading the House.

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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Does the Deputy want an answer to her questions on the toll road and the M50?

Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Yes, but I want an honest reply. The Minister should stop misleading the House.

Séamus Pattison (Carlow-Kilkenny, Labour)
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We must proceed to the next question.

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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If the Deputy does not want answers, there is no point in me attending the House for questions. She came to the House to play a political game on this issue but I will not allow her to get away with it.

Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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We do not want the Minister's stunts and distractions. He should answer the question.

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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The stunts are taking place on the Opposition side of the House.