€4M UPGRADE TO M1 TOLL PLAZA

A €4m investment is to take place on the M1 toll plaza at Julianstown, all aimed at making it a better experience for the 35,000 motorists who pass through the facility on a daily basis.

Spanish company Indra have been contracted to carry out the extensive improvements, which include a major technology update, the first in a number of years.

‘It will be a more reliable system,’ Liam Preston, Contracts Manager with Celtic Road Group told the Drogheda Independent. It is an investment by both CRG and operators Northlink.

The new systems will allow the plaza to look at many options, including number plate recognition.

There will still be barriers and tags, but issues such as tail gating will be a target.

It’s something they get a lot of complaints about and it causes ongoing issues with cars following behind, especially when it comes to reading tags.

The works, which continue until September, will see delays at times, but every effort is being made to do the installation at night and outside peak hours.

The biggest change will be felt at the Drogheda ramps which are manned at certain hours. They will be fully automatic and there will be expanded payment methods there, with the ability to give change to those passing through.

‘It is the busiest toll in the country but people should not experience any issues,’ Liam added.

There are up to 70 people employed at the plaza along with subcontractors.

Sinn Féin Spokesperson for Transport and Louth TD Imelda Munster questioned Minister Shane Ross about the ongoing matter of slip road tolls in Drogheda. Speaking in the Dáil, she accused Minister Ross of failing to take on board the adverse effect the tolls have on the people of Drogheda.

Deputy Munster said: ‘ The Minister doesn’t care about the people of Drogheda. People are being taxed for living, working, shopping and visiting Drogheda town. This affects local businesses, investment and tourism in the town.’

Deputy Munster said that it was ludicrous that people have to pay a toll to get from one side of the town to the other.

Deputy Munster continued: ‘Why would any investor choose Drogheda over other towns when people are asked to pay a toll on entry and exit? It’s the only tolled town in Ireland. The Minister needs to get real and do something about it.’

Deputy Munster said that the Minister accepted the reasoning given by Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) on the matter.

‘ They have commissioned a ‘ bespoke’, or made to order, survey in Drogheda to protect the impact and cost of toll removal,’ she said.

Deputy Munster concluded: ‘ This methodology is not applied on any other motorway. It is incredible, ridiculous and invented to come up with calculations not used anywhere else.

‘It makes it impossible to compare the potential costs of toll removal.’