Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 93: To ask the Minister for Transport the progress in providing barrier free tolling on the M50; and when he expects same to be operational. [35788/06]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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The statutory power to levy tolls on national roads, to make toll bye-laws and to enter into toll agreements with private investors in respect of national roads, including the M50, is vested in the National Roads Authority (NRA) under Part V of the Roads Act 1993 (as amended by the Planning and Development Act 2000).

As the Deputy is aware, in January of this year, the NRA decided to replace the West-Link toll on the M50 by a single-point barrier free toll in 2008. The installation of barrier free tolling is a crucial element of the M50 upgrade which is under way at present. In that context, the NRA has initiated a tender competition for the provision of free flow tolling services with the objective of having free flow tolling arrangements operational on the M50 by mid 2008.

In relation to barrier free tolling legislation, I received Government approval on 17 October to the drafting of the Roads Amendment Bill 2006 which will include provisions to strengthen the statutory basis for barrier free tolling. I hope to bring the Bill before the Oireachtas by the end of this year.