Seanad debates

Wednesday, 7 March 2007

Roads Bill 2007 [Seanad]: Second Stage

 

3:00 pm

Photo of Martin ManserghMartin Mansergh (Fianna Fail)

——and, second, one would clog up at all sorts of other pressure points. There has been a single point of tolling since the M50 opened in or around 1990 so I do not see any lack of credibility or any reason it should not continue that way. The truth of the matter is that, ideally, one should not have tolling at all on urban motorways. It is not in place around Paris, for example, but we are where we are, and we have to proceed from there. Creating a toll-free M50 would impose an expense on the taxpayer. Why should taxpayers in general pay for the M50 to be free? A single point of tolling is still preferable to having it everywhere along the line.

I wish to draw the Minister's attention to one point. I travelled in this morning on the Luas from south Dublin. At approximately 9.30 a.m., only two of the 600 parking spaces remained free at Sandyford. The capacity of the car park there is insufficient and to some degree this may be limiting the use of the Luas. I accept that when the line is extended, other park and ride points will be introduced which will relieve the situation. The taxi system, which is referred to in the Bill, has improved enormously.

I was very pleased to welcome the Minister to Tipperary last Monday week. He came to visit both developments in public transport by visiting Limerick Junction — he is probably the first Minister to go there for some considerable time — and he then went on to discuss the N24 improvement with the Tipperary Town Council. I understand more fully what he said that day from the reference in his speech today to the extra €400 million which he has brought forward to deal with the Atlantic corridor. I was on that western route in recent weeks travelling from Letterkenny to Tipperary. Undoubtedly, it needs investment, in addition to the western rail corridor.

People in Tipperary are very pleased the Minister held out the prospect that the road improvement could be turned into a dual carriageway bypass. I made sure the message was well disseminated. In effect, the compensation for the delay will be the upgrading in the quality of the road. Of course none of this will happen if the Green Party's pledge to cut down on roads spending is made a precondition of Government. That party may insist upon this if it is to become part of a rainbow coalition. I would welcome any clear statements from the Fine Gael and Labour parties along the lines of what I have said, telling the Green Party firmly and clearly that is not on.

I thank the Minister for the terrific amount of progress that is being made. Transport 21 is turning out to be a stunning success.

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