State to purchase M50 West Link Toll Bridge

**pete** · 16/11/2006, 2:06 PM

Apparently a figure of 600m is being mentioned. Is this good value?

Seems like tolls will continue but just paid to the state & (don't laugh) claims of barrier free tolling by 2008.

I understand that FF/PDs probably doing for next election but I think it will backfire when people realise they still paying tolls. When you still paying tolls hardly makes a difference who is taking the money.

**Ringo** · 16/11/2006, 2:10 PM

The most sensible suggestion is build another out "C" road , further out, to take traffic off the M50. The M50 is now a local road, not an outer relief road. I prefare them to use the money for that.

**wws** · 16/11/2006, 2:30 PM

the whole point of teh m50 is to keep the culchies out of Dublin

by creating a round the clock wall of traffic - we have in effect a ring of steel

sure it needs tweaking - but the basic plan is sound

**BohsPartisan** · 16/11/2006, 2:31 PM

Doesn't seem to be working so.

**noby** · 16/11/2006, 2:34 PM

"When you still paying tolls hardly makes a difference who is taking the money."

I don't know about that. If the Govt. collect there is a chance some of the money might be put into infrastructure or something. Surely that's better than making rich fat cats richer.

**wws** · 16/11/2006, 2:40 PM

Originally Posted by BohsPartisan

Doesn't seem to be working so.

yeah - but most of teh culchies are actually in the cars - thats the beauty of it!

most noraml ppl ie dubs abandoned the roads long ago

**pete** · 16/11/2006, 2:52 PM

Originally Posted by noby

I don't know about that. If the Govt. collect there is a chance some of the money might be put into infrastructure or something. Surely that's better than making rich fat cats richer.

I think paying them 600m up front will make them fat enough.

**BohsPartisan** · 16/11/2006, 3:01 PM

Originally Posted by pete

I think paying them 600m up front will make them fat enough.

For once I agree with Pete on something.

**paul_oshea** · 16/11/2006, 4:17 PM

most noraml ppl ie dubs abandoned the roads long ago

what do they do? fly?!?!

**BohsPartisan** · 16/11/2006, 4:19 PM

According to the Daily Lookingglass Bertie has said the toll will be used to pay off the company so in essence our toll money will still be going to them .

At the end of the day it will end up the costing billions for a bridge that cost 70 million to build. This is the real face of so called Public Private partnership.

**pete** · 16/11/2006, 9:38 PM

Originally Posted by BohsPartisan

According to the Daily Lookingglass Bertie has said the toll will be used to pay off the company so in essence our toll money will still be going to them .

Seems to be no sense to the state running a tolling operation. I haven't heard any advantage to purchasing the toll yet.

Originally Posted by BohsPartisan

At the end of the day it will end up the costing billions for a bridge that cost 70 million to build. This is the real face of so called Public Private partnership.

Not a big fan of the PPPs myself.

**Poor Student** · 17/11/2006, 10:54 AM

I don't find myself often agreeing with Pat Rabbite, but he's dead right when he said that the M50 will be like Dante's Inferno until mid-2008 at least. The 8km patch they're working on now has been cut back to two tight lanes without a hard shoulder in large swathes. It'll be at least 18 months or so before it's either completed or the barriers are lifted on the toll bridge.

Michael McDowell seems to be an advocate of Ringo's plan for a further relief motorway carring non-Dublin traffic.

**Student Mullet** · 17/11/2006, 1:56 PM

Originally Posted by Poor Student

I don't find myself often agreeing with Pat Rabbite, but he's dead right when he said that the M50 will be like Dante's Inferno until mid-2008 at least.

In what way? Will drivers be chewed between the teeth of a three headed Satan?

**BohsPartisan** · 17/11/2006, 2:53 PM

I'd pay to see that.

**Poor Student** · 17/11/2006, 3:08 PM

Originally Posted by Student Mullet

In what way? Will drivers be chewed between the teeth of a three headed Satan?

It's called the toll bridge.

**pete** · 17/11/2006, 6:41 PM

I think the AA suggested 5c extra tax on litre of petrol would pay for Nationwide Motorways without tolls. IMO a very good suggestion as 5c is nothing & also means eliminate situation where some parts of the country paying all the tolls.

**Student Mullet** · 20/11/2006, 4:53 PM

Originally Posted by Poor Student

It's called the toll bridge.

I still don't get it. What in The Inferno is similar to the toll bridge? Am I missing something or are we saying that hell is bad and the toll bridge is also bad? It seems like an incredably weak analogy.

**Macy** · 22/11/2006, 9:07 AM

Originally Posted by pete

Apparently a figure of 600m is being mentioned. Is this good value?

You just have to check the signatories of the deal to see why it's so loaded in favour of NTR. Every PPP represents poor value for the tax payer in the long run, as their all loaded to give higher returns than would be the cost of capital to borrow and build it for the Government. It's one of the great cons of new labour and their copy cats - low initial outlay, high cost going forward.

As for tolling - I've no particular tolling per se, just who it's going to as outlined above and the method of collection. There is no reason why the technology for barrier free tolling couldn't be introduced, considering how long it's been in place in London for example. It would only require straight forward legislation. Unfortunately this Government is incapable of straight forward legsilation that doesn't try and bury some devil in the detail. It isn't very good at introducing anything in a planned way - instead waiting for an outcry on liveline.

**paul_oshea** · 22/11/2006, 9:45 AM

how do PPPs work for building schools? I am assuming they aren't private schools that they build so how is money made for the private investor?

**Macy** · 22/11/2006, 10:20 AM

Originally Posted by paul_oshea

how do PPPs work for building schools? I am assuming they aren't private schools that they build so how is money made for the private investor?

Private Company builds and maintains school for a fixed period (usually the useful life of the building), and the State then pay the Private Company for the use of the building on an annual/ monthly basis. At the end of the period the school is handed over to the state.

They're essentially like buying a house on a credit card instead of getting a mortgage, with the resulting difference in interest charges over 25 years. It's dead easy to hand over a card compared to getting a mortgage, but it costs you in the end.