Dan Boyle (Cork South Central, Green Party)
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Question 94: To ask the Minister for Transport if, under the conditions set out by An Bord Pleanála for the widening and upgrade of the M50, a demand management plan for the motorway will have to be presented within three years of the completion of the first phase of the M50 upgrade; the analysis which has been done on such demand management systems to date; and the account which is being taken of the need for such a demand management system in the contract arrangements that are currently being agreed for tolls on the approach roads to the M50. [16277/06]

Jim O'Keeffe (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 164: To ask the Minister for Transport if he has decided the method which will be used to replace the existing system of tolling on the M50; when barrier free tolling will be operational on the M50; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16249/06]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 94 and 164 together.

At the outset, I should explain that the planning, design and implementation of national road improvement projects, including the M50 upgrade and other roads joining up with the M50, is a matter for the National Roads Authority (NRA) and the local authorities concerned.

The M50 upgrade project involves the widening of around 31km of motorway from 2 to 3 lanes in each direction, from the M50/M1 interchange near Dublin airport through to the Sandyford Interchange and the upgrades of the interchanges along this length. The upgrade work will take place in three phases, Phase 1 of which has commenced on the carriageway between the Red Cow and Galway Road roundabouts and is due for completion in mid 2008. Phase 2 comprises the widening of the remainder of the M50 and the upgrade of the other interchanges. Phase 3 comprises the widening of the 3.2km West-link section from the N3 to the N4.

Following the decision to abolish the West-link toll and replace it with a single point free-flow toll in 2008, it was decided to tender separately for the toll collection aspects of the M50 from the Phase 2 upgrade (construction) project. This will allow the NRA greater flexibility in the future with regards to tolling and demand management on the M50. The NRA is aiming to award the contract for Phase 2 in April 2007 and expects that construction will be completed in 2010. This contract will contain no tolling element and will be unaffected by any demand management decisions. The M50 free-flow contract will be a service contract (term limited) whereby the operator collects tolls for the NRA but does not determine the tolling strategy.

The statutory power to levy tolls on national roads, to make toll by-laws and to enter into toll agreements with private investors in respect of national roads is vested in the NRA under Part V of the Roads Act 1993 (as amended by the Planning and Development Act 2000). In that context, the NRA will bring forward specific proposals for the single-point free-flow toll arrangement for consideration later this year. A German consultancy firm has been engaged by the NRA to advise on the technology aspect of free-flow tolling.

The planning permission granted for the M50 upgrade requires that a scheme of specific demand management measures for the motorway corridor be published no later than three years after the upgrade (which includes Phase 1, Phase 2, and Phase 3) has been completed which, as I mentioned above, is anticipated to be in 2010. For this reason, the barrier free tolling arrangements will need to be adaptable to meet the medium to long term needs that arise. Comprehensive research and analysis is being undertaken by the NRA and will continue in the coming years in order to address the post 2010 situation.