Make Drogheda Toll Free

digitaldarragh

Please add your signature to the petition at www.makedroghedatollfree.com to call for the removal of the toll on the ramps leading to the Donore Road.

bigneacy

digitaldarragh wrote: »

Please add your signature to the petition at www.makedroghedatollfree.com to call for the removal of the toll on the ramps leading to the Donore Road.

And where would you suggest they put the tolls then? Or, is the toll - in your wise opinion, not necessary?

How is this toll a strangehold on Drogheda? Is it impossible to access the town without using the motorway?

I'd also love to hear about the negative effects the toll is having on Drogheda? The two thriving retail parks, north and south? The huge motor-dealer complex on the Donore road? The designer shopping centre Scotch Hall? These were all developed after the motorway and tolls came.

West street? That's been in decline a long time, before the motorway - and the drogheda borough council put the nail in that coffin when they destroyed the street. And, even still, it's nowhere near as bad as Dundalk's clanbrassil street....

The motorway isn't there for Drogheda residents to get their kids to school or get from one part of Drogheda to another - it was never promised for that and never intended for such a use - there are plenty of backroads to get around the town. It wasn't built as a slip road for you to get to aunty mary's house, and if you wish to use it in that way - pay the €1.80, and don't forget your 'going through' pass.

So, for the life of me - I can't see what damage the motorway and toll plaza's are doing to Drogheda - enlighten me? I can't see Homebase, blackstone motors, TK Maxx, Tesco, etc. etc. complaining about it either, for that matter.

Mr_Hat

Can't wait to see your reply DD.

digitaldarragh

The placement of a Toll on the M1 isn't in dispute. It is specifically the Toll on the exit to the south of Drogheda that has been objected to by over 250 people in just three days at last check.
Do you travel between Dublin and Drogheda regularly? Are you seriously saying that you don't object to paying to enter and exit your town? If not then I congratulate you. You obviously have more money than most residents. If you travel up and down to Dublin for work every day, you pay on average an extra €18 to avail of the toll.
Tell me. What other commuter town in the country has a toll on one of its most efficient entrances.

I don't see your logic. You can’t seriously make the rational point that the retail park on the south of the town doesn't suffer as a result of having a toll on the main road leading to it on the motorway?
Let me draw your attention to an article where an employer says clearly that he could actually employ more people if the price of using the toll was reduced. This was published in April by the Drogheda independent.
http://www.drogheda-independent.ie/news/toll-on-drogheda-costs-one-businessman-dear-2618263.html

You give the impression of someone who is just disputing something for the sake of being disagreeable.

Mr_Hat

digitaldarragh wrote: »

The placement of a Toll on the M1 isn't in dispute. It is specifically the Toll on the exit to the south of Drogheda that has been objected to by over 250 people in just three days at last check.

50000 PEOPLE have joined a facebook page endorsing a inanimate carbon rod for the Irish Prescidency. You online petion mean nothing.

Do you travel between Dublin and Drogheda regularly? Are you seriously saying that you don't object to paying to enter and exit your town?
[\quote]
Yes I travel it daily, and I'm not paying to enter the town. I'm paying to use that strech of motorway. If I dont want to use it. I can always take the Julianstown exit. So can anyone else who dosent want to pay it

Mr_Hat

digitaldarragh wrote: »

Tell me. What other commuter town in the country has a toll on one of its most efficient entrances.

Portlaois, Kinnegad and Fermoy.

longhalloween

I cant understand why those toll booths were located just off the donore rd. If someone is going to enter drogheda by the north they exit at J10 and clog up Mell and Trinity St, and if approaching by the south they have to pay the toll at the plaza after J7 anyways.

Meanwhile the people who LIVE WORK AND SHOP in the town have one of the main entrances blocked off by a 1.80 charge each way! So if I, living on the northside of Drogheda, within sight of the motorway, want to get to the southside I have to travel through at least 5 traffic lights on Georges St. instead of hopping on the motorway and getting there in half the time, causing less congestion and less hassle for everyone.

Petition signed.

Kaylee

Totally support you on this digitaldarragh.

I regularly visit people who live in Mell and it's really dangerous trying to get out of any driveway there now the Mell road has become so busy. Tail backs on Trinity Street are a big problem - people use Ashfield as a rat run and I don't blame them, but not nice for the people who live in that estate.

Also... such a pity that people are using the Obelisk bridge and the lovely leafy canal as a through road to get from one Retail Park to another. :mad:

Crazy that this is thought acceptable.

Open up those slip roads and let people use the motorway to get from one end of the town to the other!

EI8GHB

I will sign your petition Darragh.

As a daily commuter to Dundalk living on Donore Road I am faced with three options in the mornings:

1) Pay €1.80 and get onto the M1 quickly and get to work on time.
2) Use the Oldbridge Road under the M1 and along the canal which (a) is not suitable for heavy volumes of traffic and (b) adds perhaps 6 or 7 minutes to the journey or
3) Go into Drogheda and up George's Street or Mell and onto the M1 that way, adding, depending on traffic levels, 15 or 20 mins to the journey.

I nearly always choose (1), except when I'm broke, but it galls me having to pay it.

I do not object to motorway tolls necessarily. I follow one argument which says the infrastructure has to be paid for somehow, but I also see the merits of the argument that says it is another form of taxation.

But the Donore Road toll always beat the hell out of me. Why toll an entry or an exit to the town? And it's not about getting to Auntie Mary's house or anything like that. If you live in Drogheda and commute to Dublin (or even Dundalk in my case) you either pay the toll and get there quicker, or you choose a free journey which will take longer, and add to congestion in other parts of the town.

WindmillWarrior

Its a no brainer really. I'll be signing it, and getting others to as well

amacachi

Have any of the road which were open before the motorway opened had a toll added to them? If not then get over it.

EI8GHB

Quote:
Tell me. What other commuter town in the country has a toll on one of its most efficient entrances.
Portlaois, Kinnegad and Fermoy.

Not sure about Portlaoise. I travel in and out of Portlaoise regularly. There is no toll on either exit 16 or exit 17 off the M7. There is a main toll plaza on the motorway itself some miles southwest of Portlaoise, but no toll on a main sliproad off the M7 into Portlaoise that I have seen.

Mr_Hat

EI8GHB wrote: »

But the Donore Road toll always beat the hell out of me. Why toll an entry or an exit to the town? ./QUOTE]

Its not a toll on exiting the town. Its a toll on using the stretch of road located there. If you don't want to pay it don't. No one is forcing you to use it.

EI8GHB

Its not a toll on exiting the town. Its a toll on using the stretch of road located there. If you don't want to pay it don't. No one is forcing you to use it.

As I said in my earlier post, I pay the toll but I don't like paying it. You're right, no-one is forcing me.

But it is not a mere "stretch of road". It is a main entry/exit into and out of Drogheda. I don't think there's much of an argument there to be honest. Grab a map of Drogheda and ask anyone to point out the main entry/exit arteries and the majority will point to Donore Road as one of them.

You never responded to me pointing out that Portlaoise does not have a toll on one of its main entry/exit roads. I wonder whether your statement that Kinnegad and Fermoy have tolls on their entry/exit routes is also false?

EI8GHB

Also, Mr_Hat, it is quite clear from some of your other postings on separate threads that you have something against Cllr Ken O'Heiligh, who is the main instigator of the latest anti-toll campaign and has long campaigned on the issue.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=74005091

I quote:

Was Ken O'Heiligh involved in getting Aldi and Lidel in to Drogheda. I'm sick of all his nonsense with the M1 Toll. I cant see that ever changing.

I honestly cant see how he gets elected year after year. He's a bit useless and all we ever hear out of him is nonsense bout getting rid of the toll. Fat chance!!

TeachMealog

After recently driving up to Fermanagh via the N3 then to Belfast and back to dublin via drogheda... the scam which are tolls annoy me greatly..
If there is a toll there should be an alternative route that is not just crazy
and dont get me started on the M50

charlemont

bigneacy wrote: »

And where would you suggest they put the tolls then? Or, is the toll - in your wise opinion, not necessary?

How is this toll a strangehold on Drogheda? Is it impossible to access the town without using the motorway?

I'd also love to hear about the negative effects the toll is having on Drogheda? The two thriving retail parks, north and south? The huge motor-dealer complex on the Donore road? The designer shopping centre Scotch Hall? These were all developed after the motorway and tolls came.

West street? That's been in decline a long time, before the motorway - and the drogheda borough council put the nail in that coffin when they destroyed the street. And, even still, it's nowhere near as bad as Dundalk's clanbrassil street....

The motorway isn't there for Drogheda residents to get their kids to school or get from one part of Drogheda to another - it was never promised for that and never intended for such a use - there are plenty of backroads to get around the town. It wasn't built as a slip road for you to get to aunty mary's house, and if you wish to use it in that way - pay the €1.80, and don't forget your 'going through' pass.

So, for the life of me - I can't see what damage the motorway and toll plaza's are doing to Drogheda - enlighten me? I can't see Homebase, blackstone motors, TK Maxx, Tesco, etc. etc. complaining about it either, for that matter.

I bet you love handing over money, Do you get excited when the coins drop in ? The water rates probably has you drooling ...:rolleyes:

I do see your point though Its the M50 should be toll free, Drogheda has alternative ways through it but needs a new bridge for local traffic to the east of town.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

If you don't want to use the bridge built under PPP then don't use it. Otherwise pay the toll. A lot of whining. What nonsense!!

MugMugs

I run through Mell every day on my way from Dundalk.

It's my god given right to speed through Mell at 50Kmh and clog it up !

end a eknny

Lilah Small Pilot wrote: »

If you don't want to use the bridge built under PPP then don't use it. Otherwise pay the toll. A lot of whining. What nonsense!!

you just love to give away money dont you

MugMugs

Lilah Small Pilot wrote: »

If you don't want to use the bridge built under PPP then don't use it. Otherwise pay the toll. A lot of whining. What nonsense!!

Yeah. Not a solution really. They put a "Mohoway" to Cavan there recently. Cavan people are living up to their rep and the tolls aren't being used meaning that the NRA are giving the Toll operator €111,000 a week !

So if we all don't cough up...... Then we all cough up indirectly. :mad:

Mr_Hat

EI8GHB wrote: »

Also, Mr_Hat, it is quite clear from some of your other postings on separate threads that you have something against Cllr Ken O'Heiligh, who is the main instigator of the latest anti-toll campaign and has long campaigned on the issue.

No, your completely right. I think he is useless and the no tolls campain is just populist nonsense he is using to raise his profile. If the toll is ever abolished I can assure you. It wont be as a result of his involvement.

southlouth type

lets face facts here for a minute can we . Drogheda is just slighly behind dublin for traffic congestion (per head) . 26,000 thousand cars coming through julianstown everyday with most of them heading into Drogheda . Its a nightmare to get from one side of town to the other with the only other route costing € 1.80 X 2 on a return journey . Cars going through town are running at 70 percent of the speed limit . I work in Dublin alot and would love to be able to go straight to the northside of town with having to go through julianstown village which sometimes adds 20 / 25 mins onto my journey ! a fcukin nightmare . Why should we have to injure this stress and taxation right on our doorstep ? We will see how some of the north louth posters on here like it if the proposed toll is built in Dundalk .

gebbel

The Drogheda toll is indeed unfortunate and I will be signing the petition anyway, even though I don't believe anything will come of it. I paid €950 on this toll commuting to work in Dublin last year. This year I have had to make cutbacks like everybody else and now mostly avoid the toll by going to J7. I live on the Old Slane Road and it takes 2 minutes to get on the motorway at J10 from my house. Avoiding the toll adds 10-15 minutes to the journey and clogs up the town for everyone else.

At the very least I think they should waive this toll for residents of Drogheda who want to use it every day, but won't due to the expense of it.

digitaldarragh

Mr_Hat, what rubbish you have been spreading here.
Let’s recall a few things the Cllr has been involved with shall we?
He was instrumental on having bans placed on HGV's on the Windmill road.
He has successfully fought court cases for the elderly, sick and disabled where they have been summoned to court for not paying bin charges.
He has been independently responsible for housing hundreds of Drogheda residents in public and affordable homes.
He has been involved in protests that ensured the continued running of public bus services that cater for the elderly.

I haven't even scratched the surface here and nor do I need to.

So, tell me Mr_Hat, exactly what do you do to help the community in Drogheda? How many times have you been called out during the night at Christmas to help unfreeze a pensioners pipes during the coldest winters we've experienced in years? How many people have you found homes for? How many disabled people have you represented?

To say that the protest on tolls is the only thing he's involved in is an insult and I personally won't tolerate it.

Stop hiding behind your keyboard and maybe try doing something positive for a change. All I've read for you on this forum is constant negativity and complaining.

Considering there are hundreds of people in Drogheda that are genuinely trying to make life better for the disadvantaged in the town it annoys me to see senseless comments from you when it appears you contribute nothing.

Maybe this toll will succeed. Maybe it won't. At least someone is actively trying something.

Mr_Hat

digitaldarragh wrote: »

Mr_Hat, what rubbish you have been spreading here.
Let’s recall a few things the Cllr has been involved with shall we?
He was instrumental on having bans placed on HGV's on the Windmill road.
He has successfully fought court cases for the elderly, sick and disabled where they have been summoned to court for not paying bin charges.
He has been independently responsible for housing hundreds of Drogheda residents in public and affordable homes.
He has been involved in protests that ensured the continued running of public bus services that cater for the elderly.

I haven't even scratched the surface here and nor do I need to.

So, tell me Mr_Hat, exactly what do you do to help the community in Drogheda? How many times have you been called out during the night at Christmas to help unfreeze a pensioners pipes during the coldest winters we've experienced in years? How many people have you found homes for? How many disabled people have you represented?

To say that the protest on tolls is the only thing he's involved in is an insult and I personally won't tolerate it.

Stop hiding behind your keyboard and maybe try doing something positive for a change. All I've read for you on this forum is constant negativity and complaining.

Considering there are hundreds of people in Drogheda that are genuinely trying to make life better for the disadvantaged in the town it annoys me to see senseless comments from you when it appears you contribute nothing.

Maybe this toll will succeed. Maybe it won't. At least someone is actively trying something.

So, he's your uncle then.

Mr_Hat

All I've read coming from you is propaganda for your uncle.

K nacker

digitaldarragh wrote: »

Mr_Hat, what rubbish you have been spreading here.
Let’s recall a few things the Cllr has been involved with shall we?
He was instrumental on having bans placed on HGV's on the Windmill road.
He has successfully fought court cases for the elderly, sick and disabled where they have been summoned to court for not paying bin charges.
He has been independently responsible for housing hundreds of Drogheda residents in public and affordable homes.
He has been involved in protests that ensured the continued running of public bus services that cater for the elderly.


I haven't even scratched the surface here and nor do I need to.

So, tell me Mr_Hat, exactly what do you do to help the community in Drogheda? How many times have you been called out during the night at Christmas to help unfreeze a pensioners pipes during the coldest winters we've experienced in years? How many people have you found homes for? How many disabled people have you represented?

To say that the protest on tolls is the only thing he's involved in is an insult and I personally won't tolerate it.

Stop hiding behind your keyboard and maybe try doing something positive for a change. All I've read for you on this forum is constant negativity and complaining.

Considering there are hundreds of people in Drogheda that are genuinely trying to make life better for the disadvantaged in the town it annoys me to see senseless comments from you when it appears you contribute nothing.

Maybe this toll will succeed. Maybe it won't. At least someone is actively trying something.

Hi Ken, keep up the good work. :rolleyes:

digitaldarragh

I’m his son. And I’m proud of it.

What difference does that make! You haven’t answered my question. As usual you hide away from the hard questions with silly pointless responses.

You call it “propaganda”. I call it the truth. Start backing up your statements with some facts?

I have seen a number of posts where you attempt to discredit people’s opinions by insinuating that their connection either through family or friendship invalidates them. What a silly narrow minded and cowardly view.

I won’t waste my time on responding to you in future.

Mr_Hat

I have seen a number of posts where you attempt to discredit people’s opinions by insinuating that their connection either through family or friendship invalidates them. What a silly narrow minded and cowardly view. .

So you don't think being O'Heirlys son gives you a skewed view of your fathers "achievements". I rate him just above Shanks. And you really should tell him to stop wasting his time with all this toll business. It might get him votes next time round. But he is never going to get it changed. Even James O'Neill has done a better job then him

CMpunked

Mr_Hat wrote: »

50000 PEOPLE have joined a facebook page endorsing a inanimate carbon rod for the Irish Prescidency. You online petion mean nothing.

I lol'd.

Mr_Hat wrote: »

No, your completely right. I think he is useless and the no tolls campain is just populist nonsense he is using to raise his profile.

Cllr O'Heiligh is the same as any other politician, will do what he can do to make him look the best in the long run. Has he helped out a few people i know in regards to situations? Yes, to an extent. He hasnt actually helped, but he has led them to believe that he had done everything in his power to address the situations. I'm not disputing this, im just stating what i know.

However, a few years ago there was a very active group of youths who campaigned greatly for the council, or anyone, infact, to build a designated skateboarding/bmx/rollerblading area within the town.
I was involved with the campaign and pretty much the one solitary councillor who got involved was Mr. O'Heiligh. At first it was great, all smiles, meetings, action plans and all that.
Over time when it looked like it wasnt going anywhere he just seemed to give up and started to ignore calls and messages from certain people inquiring about further meetings and promotional events to raise the issue with the council.
Instead it became clear that Mr O'Heiligh had moved on to an issue which was a little more successful in gaining him publicity; The openings of Lidl and Aldi in the town.
And we the (well, not as much as we used to be)youth of the town of drogheda is still struggling with a plight to get an area of drogheda designated to practice an ever growing sport.

Do i have anything personal against Mr O'Heiligh? No.
Do i think he is just like nearly every other politician who sets out to find something that shows them playing to the vast majority, and win or lose, they will come out golden at the end of it all? Absolutely.

digitaldarragh

Again, you don’t answer.
I think you’ve just proven my point yet again. Thanks.

You say I have a skewed view. You may be right. In fact, let’s give you that one. Yes, I have a skewed view. However, I reiterate the point I made earlier, having a skewed view or a tie to a person does not invalidate or diminish in any way the facts of their achievements. I challenge you again to respond with accounts of what you have done to benefit the people of Drogheda. Instead of weakly attempting to spread negativity you may find it more rewarding to have a positive impact for a change?

Mr_Hat

digitaldarragh wrote: »

Again, you don’t answer.
I think you’ve just proven my point yet again. Thanks.

You say I have a skewed view. You may be right. In fact, let’s give you that one. Yes, I have a skewed view. However, I reiterate the point I made earlier, having a skewed view or a tie to a person does not invalidate or diminish in any way the facts of their achievements. I challenge you again to respond with accounts of what you have done to benefit the people of Drogheda. Instead of weakly attempting to spread negativity you may find it more rewarding to have a positive impact for a change?

I dont rate any of your Dad's supposed achievements.
I'am looking forward to seeing your responce to CmPunkeds post.

digitaldarragh

CMpunked, I respect your views. I think you’re being very balanced in your message however I want to be careful to keep this on topic. I am not here to defend Cllr Ó Héiligh. I am here to make people aware of www.MakeDroghedaTollFree.com however as I appreciate the time that you have taken to respond, I will attempt to address one of the comments you made in your message.

Let me draw your attention to the last time I read something in the media about the skate board facilities that were aimed for Drogheda.
http://www.drogheda-independent.ie/news/skateboard-park-a-bridge-over-troubled-waters-1601757.html

I can’t and won’t be a spokes person for Cllr Ó Héiligh however I will say that his proposals as reported in this article were taken completely out of context and I know that this was a source of a lot of frustration. You will also notice in this article that funding was withdrawn from that project so I can only surmise that he felt that no further progress could be made. However, that said, I cannot say this with any certainty. Again, I am not here to defend him. I am here to spread awareness of the petition against the tolls. I just thought it was worth mentioning that I know from firsthand experience that he campaigned for this facility for a long time. I suggest that you attempt to contact him for verification as to his reasons behind his alleged change in focus. If you have difficulties with this please do not hesitate to contact me privately and I will attempt to assist if possible.

In relation to representations that were not handled to the satisfaction of the individual involved I share your frustrations. To be clear, I am not referring to any representations made to Cllr Ó Héiligh as I have not had need to do this however I am very familiar with the processes of constituent representations and the challenges involved from the constituent, local representative and Oireachtas Member perspective. It is a reality that not every representation is resolved to the satisfaction of either party and often due to a lack of transparency it generally seems like this is as a result of a lack of effort or ability on the part of the representative. However, in any process defined with the roles of requester and actioner this misperception is unfortunately all too frequent.

CMpunked

Thats all fair and partially understandable. I do know of the situation surrounding the funding of the skatepark but my point was the fact that he seemed to cut some, maybe not all, ties with some individuals who were and still are fighting for the cause.
I dont want to drag the thread off topic concerning the tolls of the town.
Mainly as i am still a provisional driver and have never used the tolls anywhere so i cant comment as such.

However:

digitaldarragh wrote: »

I am not here to defend Cllr Ó Héiligh.

I can’t and won’t be a spokesperson for Cllr Ó Héiligh.

Again, I am not here to defend him. I am here to spread awareness of the petition against the tolls.

You say this three times within your response and where i do respect you offering your assistance in helping out the situations i have mentioned, i must say that if you are adamant about not being a spokesperson/defender then you arent really giving off that sense going from your previous posts.

PinkFly

As a resdient of ashfield i can say he has done alot for us, ive seen him helping my neighbours unfreeze their pipes during the winter he didnt have to,

anyways i thought this thread was about making drogheda toll free? not bashing a singular man??

Kaylee

There is no new bridge going to be built as a local route for East Drogheda.

I don't know anything about Cllr O'Heiligh.

For people who live in Mell (where traffic is only going to get worse when the new primary school opens); people who use the Canal area as the beautiful amenity it should be; and people who are trying to get to work, the toll on the slip road at Donore should be lifted.

Development seemed/seems to be rampant on the outskirts of Drogheda with no understanding of the impact on traffic levels.

Those here defending the Toll seem to have other issues and don't need to use the roads affected at all.

EI8GHB

Mr_Hat,

You still haven't answered my question either as to why you claimed Portlaoise had a toll on one of its main entrances/exits when it clearly doesn't.

Darragh, for what it's worth I think your father is a good local representative. I know lots of people who he's helped.

I'd love to see Mr_Hat and some of Ken's other detractors stand before the electorate . . .

bigneacy

EI8GHB wrote: »

I will sign your petition Darragh.

As a daily commuter to Dundalk living on Donore Road I am faced with three options in the mornings:

1) Pay €1.80 and get onto the M1 quickly and get to work on time.
2) Use the Oldbridge Road under the M1 and along the canal which (a) is not suitable for heavy volumes of traffic and (b) adds perhaps 6 or 7 minutes to the journey or
3) Go into Drogheda and up George's Street or Mell and onto the M1 that way, adding, depending on traffic levels, 15 or 20 mins to the journey.

I nearly always choose (1), except when I'm broke, but it galls me having to pay it.

I do not object to motorway tolls necessarily. I follow one argument which says the infrastructure has to be paid for somehow, but I also see the merits of the argument that says it is another form of taxation.

But the Donore Road toll always beat the hell out of me. Why toll an entry or an exit to the town? And it's not about getting to Auntie Mary's house or anything like that. If you live in Drogheda and commute to Dublin (or even Dundalk in my case) you either pay the toll and get there quicker, or you choose a free journey which will take longer, and add to congestion in other parts of the town.

But these were your options before the motorway was opened. Basically you have the same options you ALWAYS had, plus another (quick) option that you have to pay for.

That's your choice. The M1 motorway and the Donore road interchange was not built for the convenience of Drogheda residents.

It's not like you had this road for years and then they suddenly started a toll plaza.

EI8GHB

I think it's interesting that people have this opinion that motorways were built purely for intercity travel, or only for the convenience of distance travellers. But the fact is that a number of motorways have seen disappointing levels of traffic because motorists are avoiding using them. That route bypassing Fermoy mentioned by Mr_Hat is being boycotted with 6,000 vehicles a day still passing through that village. Not to mention Julianstown. And the M3 which has seen low traffic numbers. Also I travelled on the M7 recently and noticed hardly any traffic on it for 20 miles south of the main toll plaza beyond Portlaoise.

If they don't want local traffic using the motorway, they should say so. But I don't believe this is the reason the Donore Road toll booths were put there.

Anyway, bigneacy, you are right. I do have choices, and the M1 is a relatively new choice. I choose to pay, but dislike having to. If Ken O'Heiligh succeeds in his campaign, I for one will be very glad of it, as will many others.

It seems there are lots of people out there who, despite the recession, seem perfectly happy to pay tolls . . . good luck to them!!

Lord TSC

I'm not going to comment on the Counciller guy (though I think the revelation that he's a poster's dad completly blows that poster's opinion out of the water, regardless of his arguement's legitamacy), and I'm afraid I'd be speaking out of ignorance on this but surely the toll is nessecary to recoup some of the money which went into building it? We can't expect a road like that and want all the benefits but then complain when we're asked to contribute towards it (though, hey, this is Ireland we're talking about...).

bigneacy

So I read this forum. All the replies etc... Drogheda residents are having to pay €1.80 to bypass the town centre (on a road which wasn't there in the first place - they didn't demolish the old roads you know?!)

Can anyone tell me (apart from the above non-reason) any reason why the Donore road toll is a bad thing for Drogheda?

munchkin_utd

bigneacy wrote: »

So I read this forum. All the replies etc... Drogheda residents are having to pay €1.80 to bypass the town centre (on a road which wasn't there in the first place - they didn't demolish the old roads you know?!)

Can anyone tell me (apart from the above non-reason) any reason why the Donore road toll is a bad thing for Drogheda?

I just had a quick gawk on google streetview and the Donore road seems to be crazy busy at it is.
Could that road actually take all the substantially extra traffic from "toll dodgers" if there was no toll?

Regarding the reason why there is a toll.
The franchise company built a 20km long motorway at the cost to them of 100s of millions of euros. They also have to maintain this for 30 years. Thats keep the surface tip top, general maintance of bridges etc, snow clearing. Everything.
To pay for all that, they charge a toll to use this privately built road.

Theres a contract signed between the government and the franchise company on what they deliver and what is tolled.
At this point in time, a change of the extent of the toll would require the government to get the franchisee to agree to a change in the contract for which they would have to be compensated.

And THAT is the crux of the matter - Who will pay this compensation of millions of euros for lost revenues over the next 30 odd years?

If you can tell me where this magic pot of cash is to come from (in a bankrupt country depending on IMF loans to pay the bills) then fair play to you!!

Mr_Hat

PinkFly wrote: »

anyways i thought this thread was about making drogheda toll free? not bashing a singular man??

Well the petition your being asked to sign is going to be used by O'Heirly and his son is the OP. So I think he's fair game..

Mr_Hat

EI8GHB wrote: »

Not to mention Julianstown. And

Sorry Eirgi, I knew there was one on the south side of Portlaosie so I assumed that there would be one north of it. Hands up I was wrong.

I'm pretty sure those cars were always traveling trough Julianstown along with a hell of a lot more

EI8GHB

I am going to let this be the last comment because I think I've contributed enough to this discussion. I will continue to pay the toll because (a) I still have a job thankfully and I can afford to and (b) the alternatives are really not palatable, or practical to be honest. If the campaign succeeds, I will be a very happy man. Best of luck to Ken and hopefully more people will join his campaign.

borderlinemeath

As a Drogheda resident I have no problem paying the toll if I'm using the motorway, heading north to Dundalk or south to Dublin. Neither a considerable distance but worth the price of the toll to shorten the journey.

However, to use the motorway to circumnavigate the town and having to pay the toll is beyond ridiculous. While the schools are closed the traffic congestion is not that bad but come school term time the residents of Drogheda are once more held to ransom to get from A to B.

While I don't think the toll should be scrapped for "toll dodgers" I do think there should be a waiver/discount scheme/tax break for residents of the town.

Mr_Hat

digitaldarragh wrote: »

Again, you don’t answer.
I think you’ve just proven my point yet again. Thanks.

You say I have a skewed view. You may be right. In fact, let’s give you that one. Yes, I have a skewed view. However, I reiterate the point I made earlier, having a skewed view or a tie to a person does not invalidate or diminish in any way the facts of their achievements.

Well I'm pretty sure having a skewed view means by definition that you have a distorted view of your dads "achievements". I hope your not being groomed as his successor.

digitaldarragh

Ah Mr_Hat. You are either a very funny man or a very misguided one.

Am I being groomed? I taught him everything he knows! J

As I said at the start of this thread, your obviously here just to attempt to cause controversy, start agreements or simply be disagreeable. In the subsequent posts from you it would seem that I’m correct.

Good talking to you.
Have a fantastic weekend.

bigneacy

digitaldarragh wrote: »

Ah Mr_Hat. You are either a very funny man or a very misguided one.
Am I being groomed? I taught him everything he knows! As I said at the start of this thread, your obviously here just to attempt to cause controversy, start agreements or simply be disagre
Good talking to you.
Have a fantastic weekend.

You can't say he's only here to cause controversy just because he has a differing point of view than you...?

Also - being a non-resident of Drogheda - I have to say, the town centre traffic was always terrible - It used to take 2.5 hours to get to Dublin from Dundalk (about 45 mins of that was Drogheda traffic) since the introduction of the motorway, I personally think the traffic has somewhat lessened. I mean imagine what it would be like today without the Motorway.

Also - It would be foolish of any local councillors to assume that they are going to sucessfully petition a private company, who have a lucrative contract, to stop doing business. CRG won't just remove their business interest because of a small scale online petition.

That'd be like petitioning McDonalds to close down because you feel it cheapens the town's image, I also think you and the councillor mentioned previously know this full well and this is probably (as someone else already said) a points-scoring, profile raising populist stunt.

There could be other, more realistic things that the Cllr. could focus his energies on. Things that are actually going to happen and bring results for his constituents.

PinkFly

Mr_Hat wrote: »

Well the petition your being asked to sign is going to be used by O'Heirly and his son is the OP. So I think he's fair game..

Its O'Heiligh.