Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

126. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport when plans will be advanced to combat the traffic congestion on the M50 route; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38011/18]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

As Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, I have responsibility for overall policy and funding in relation to the national roads programme.  Under the Roads Acts 1993-2015, the planning, design and operation of individual roads is a matter for the relevant road authority in relation to local and regional roads, or for Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), in conjunction with the local authorities concerned, in relation to national roads. 

However, I can advise that in relation to traffic congestion, the M50 Traffic Flow Optimisation project is currently underway.  This project will implement a Variable Speed Limit regime on the M50 Dublin Ring Road to improve its operational efficiency by smoothing traffic flow, improving journey time reliability and reducing the number of secondary traffic collisions. This will be achieved through the setting of mandatory speed limits.  The expected benefits of these new measures shall be a reduction in the impact of congestion and the level of disruption resulting from incidents on the M50 while enhancing journey time reliability. This project will also allow the rapid deployment of lane closures to protect road users and emergency services during an incident on the route, thus reducing the impact of disruption.

In conjunction with TII, officials in my Department are currently working on arrangements to put this project in place.