Gracedieu Residents Fear “Rat Run” To Avoid Paying Toll |
Claim that 6,500 rising to 9000 vehicles a day will divert from the Bypass because of the toll |
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News and Star Friday November 16th 2001 By Aileen Mulhall A WATERFORD City residents’ association has proposed moving the toll plaza to another location to help prevent motorists from using residential areas in their community as a “rat run” to avoid paying the toll. However, a representative of the consultants that carried out the feasibility study on tolling the Waterford Bypass, told the oral hearing that the alternative toll plaza site put forward by the Gracedieu Residents Association would cause a greater diversion of traffic. The Residents’ Association proposed in its written submission to the inquiry that the toll plaza be moved to a site on the Kilmeaden Bypass west of the intersection of the Western Link Road and the N25 Bypass to minimise the nuisance caused by traffic diverting to residential areas to avoid the toll. In response to cross-examination from Michael Duffy, secretary of the Residents Association, Project Director of the Waterford Second River Crossing John Murphy said the diversion would be greater if the plaza was located at their preferred site because the alternative routes would be clearer and simpler. The Waterford Toll Study, which Mr Murphy’s firm Ewbank Preece OhEocha carried out, concluded that the optimum location for the toll plaza was in the vicinity of the second river crossing as it enhanced the commercial viability of the scheme in comparison to the alternative plaza locations on the western approach or the northern ring section of the Bypass. An examination of traffic projections showed that the traffic projected for the River Suir crossing section was significantly greater than the traffic projected for either the Kilmeaden Bypass section of the Northern Bypass Section. In a written submission to the inquiry, Gracedieu Residents’ Association said it unequivocally supported the submissions of the local authorities opposing the “hard tolling” of the bypass. However, if the decision was made to toll the bypass the Association’s proposal was that that toll plaza be located west of the intersection of the Western Link Road and the N25 Bypass. “It appears the main reason for the current proposed site is that it offers the quickest and greatest economic return for the concessionaire in that its tolls the access to Waterford City, as well as the State purpose of collecting tolls from traffic bypassing the city. MORE SUITABLE The Residents’ Association pinpointed a site west of the Western Link, which it believed was more suitable in the long run for a toll plaza. The submission requested that if there was a significant reason that the site was unsuitable for engineering or physical reasons the NRA should investigate other sites for the toll plaza. The GRA claimed that relocating the toll plaza to the site they proposed would minimise the nuisance caused by traffic diverting to avoid the toll. “Our proposal, we believe, has the least negative impacts on the least number of people and consequently minimises the overall negative impacts on the scheme.” The Association pointed to figures from the Non Technical Summary of the Environmental Impact Statement, which showed that almost 6,500 rising to 9000 vehicles a day will divert from the Bypass because of the toll on the section of road that will form the second river crossing. “It is our contention that these diverted vehicles will primarily use the road network in our locality as a “rat run” between Rice Bridge and the point where they will be able to re-join the N25 road system at the interchange with the Western Link and the Cleaboy Road/Old Kilmeaden Road in Knockhouse Lower.” The submission stated that the shortest routes for diverting would be through heavily built up areas or areas earmarked for future high-density development. The Association argued that the current proposals with the addition of the Cleaboy Road connection to the Western Link would focus much of the traffic flow through the north western section of the city. According to the submission the resident’s proposed location for the toll plaza would encourage traffic entering and exiting the IDA industrial estate away from using the inadequate urban road network. The Residents’Association also referred to Environmental Impact Statement summary, which pointed out that the proposed location for the toll plaza was currently 240m from the nearest dwelling. “Our proposal also positions the plaza in such a location but with the added benefit that there will not be 2000 or so homes within 1000m overlooking and within earshot of the toll plaza in the future.” The Residents Association also argued that their proposal would maintain provisions for the collection of tolls for bypassing the City on the N25, while at the same time allowing traffic wishing to access the City to do so relatively unfettered. “We would respectfully suggest that should there be a shortfall in the projected users/revenue flowing from the toll as a result of this repositioning, central government could enter into an arrangement whereby it guarantees to make good any shortfall while allowing the concessionaire to retain any surplus over the projected figure.” Copyright © Waterford News and Star |