With just days to go to the planned closure of the Obelisk Bridge at Oldbridge, the Minister for Transport, Eamon Ryan, is still refusing to take responsibility for the costs that will accrue to locals who will be forced onto the toll road at Donore.
Deputy Ged Nash says that Minister is continuing to pass the buck in refusing to give locals relief from M1 tolls while the Obelisk Bridge at Oldbridge is closed for upgrade works.
Earlier in July, Deputy Nash called on the Minister for Transport, Eamon Ryan to suspend toll charges at the toll bridge on the Donore Road for the duration of the works but was disappointed with the Minister’s response.
“Minister Ryan claimed the decision was out of his hands and could only be made by the TII” Deputy Nash said.
“What he didn’t say is that he had negotiated with the TII a six-month suspension of tolls, earlier this year so the question remains, why can’t he do the same in this case?
“I pushed the Minister on the issue this week and asked him to report on what would be the cost of suspending tolls at Donore for the duration of the Obelisk works. Again, he has passed this question onto the TII and I await the final figures from them.
“What is very clear though, is that suspending tolls at one toll booth for a period of time will cost a tiny fraction of suspending all tolls for six months, which the Minister has already managed to do. I’d suggest that all that is stopping him acceding to this request is a lack of political will.”
“I made the very reasonable request to the Minister for Transport that he suspend tolls at Donore for the duration of the works and he has declined that request.”
Deputy Nash added: “The Minister says that the statutory powers to set or suspend tolls lies with Transport Infrastructure Ireland and strictly speaking, he’s correct. But if he has no influence on tolls, how did he succeed in getting a six-month suspension to planned hikes, this year?
“The Minister does not lack influence in achieving this simple aim, he just lacks the will to do it and those travelling from North to South Drogheda will suffer as a result.”
The Louth Labour TD said: “Even at this late stage, with a week to go to the closure of the bridge, I repeat my call for the Minister to engage with Celtic Roads Group and Transport Infrastructure Ireland to lift tolls at Donore for the duration of the Obelisk Bridge works.
“It is not good enough for the Minister to simply wash his hands of this issue when local people are facing repeated toll charges for up to a year, that they simply cannot avoid and all while families struggle to cope with a huge cost-of-living crisis.”
