State pays €90m a year to operators of public-private partnership roads

TRANSPORT:CHIEF EXECUTIVE of the National Roads Authority Fred Barry revealed the State's public-private partnership roads were costing the State some €90 million a year in payments to operators.

Speaking at the Oireachtas committee on transport, he said in addition to these payments, where these roads were tolled, the tolls went to the operator.

However there were two exceptions where the revenue went directly to the State – the Dublin Port Tunnel and the M50.

Part of the revenue from the M50 was used to repay the previous operator from whom the State bought the West-Link, Mr Barry said..

He said there were three future public-private partnerships currently at tender stage. These included the N11 Arklow to Rathnew and N7 Newlands Cross combined scheme; the M17/18 Gort to Tuam scheme; and the M11/N25 Enniscorthy and New Ross bypasses. It was not planned to put tolls on these schemes, he said. While he noted the construction of the Gort/Tuam and Arklow/Rathnew schemes were expected to start in 2011, he acknowledged they were dependent on banks supporting the projects.

Mr Barry said the annual average usage of salt on roads was about 60,000 to 70,000 tonnes.