With a national budget surplus of €10 billion there’s still a charge of €2.10 to enter Drogheda
The politicians and pen pushers in Dublin have once again ignored the wishes of the public in Drogheda, South Louth and East Meath, this time by refusing to waive the toll fee for people using the Donore tollgate while the Obelisk Bridge is closed for essential repairs.
Members of the public have voiced their opposition to the much-hated tolls ever since they were introduced in 2003. They are seen as a levy for anyone wishing to do business in Drogheda and a huge imposition for anyone wishing to drive from one side of town to the other and avoid the traffic chaos in the town centre.
This includes hundreds of drivers who commute to work and school each day using the Obelisk Bridge who will now have to travel into the already traffic choked town of Drogheda.
Similarly, HGV drivers look upon the €5.40 or €6.80 (depending on the number of axles) charge at the tollgate as a huge disincentive, especially if they are making numerous journeys each week, so they also choose to add to the traffic in Drogheda which is gridlocked for much of the day.
Far from easing traffic in Drogheda, the M1 tolls have had the totally opposite effect but it is a nice little earner for Celtic Roads Group (Dundalk), the company that operates them and, with all the house building going on currently, the numbers using the M1 to get to work will of course increase their profits. Chaos in Drogheda and areas such as Julianstown can only get worse as a result.
Public representatives of every political hue have joined the howls of opposition to the tolls but, apart from empty election-time promises, successive governments and Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) have closed their ears to the furore. This at a time when the government has a budget surplus of €10 billion.
The latest public response to the situation came over the weekend from a group called “Make Drogheda Toll Free” which is headed up by former Councillor Ken O’Heligh with the aim of highlighting what they describe as “the unjust TOLL charges that are demanded to enter our historic town.”
Mr. O’Heligh, who has mounted a public protest at the Donore ramp toll gate every New Year’s Day since the tolls were introduced, told Drogheda Life that the group has set out new proposals to TII seeking a partial buy out of the contract that relates to the North / South Ramp Tolls at Junction 9, Donore Road.
He explained that the remaining term of the M1 contract is due to expire in just over 10 years’ time on the 5th February 2034.
“The reduced debt associated with the ‘buy out’ in part of the Ramp Tolls will significantly reduce that figure and make the buyout option more scalable” he said.
“While Louth County Council are tasked with the remedial work on the Obelisk Bridge, we have been inundated with messages from concerned residents that are struggling with the cost of living crisis” he added.
“The statutory powers to levy tolls, to make toll bye-laws and to enter into toll agreements with private investors are vested in TII under Part V of the Roads Act 1993 (as amended by the Planning and Development Act 2000 and the Roads Act 2007).
“To this end we propose possible interim solutions for TII consideration:
“Review the three-hour re-entry ticket with a view to extending this concession to facilitate visitors to Oldbridge House and those local car journeys for school runs using the Drogheda By-Pass as a means of avoiding the well documented congested local road network.
“All options must be considered that would allow the cessation of toll charges for local residents on the M1 to alleviate what will be additional traffic congestion.”
