-----Original Message----- From: m3.news@m3tolls.com [mailto:m3.news@m3tolls.com] Sent: 22 May 2005 09:19 To: meath.commuter@m3tolls.com Subject: M3 Tolls Campaign - Get Meath Moving Newsletter Hi, Thank you for subscribing to the M3 Tolls newsletter. At present we are in the process of setting up a new broader group called Get Meath Moving (GMM) as a commuter issue group. Since the initial No M3 Tolling petition was set up it has become apparent that just about every problem associated with the M3 is related to the tolling. Indeed the NRA tolling project has led to other serious problems in the making, and it is GMM's aim to remove the tolling and in the process a number of other threats to commuters living in Meath & Cavan. The NRA has designed the current M3 to eliminate all competition - the N3 because it is free, and the railway because it is faster. Please read on as your feed back would be helpful. --------------------------------------------------------- The M3 tolls The first and obvious difficulty with the tolls on the M3 is that there will be 2 of them each way. If you have to cross the M50 during your commute this will add another, totalling 6 per day costing you E10.80 per day, or in the region of E2,500.00 per annum. Gross wage cost would be in excess of E4,000.00 annum. (Ie you would have to earn over four thousand per annum to pay the E2,500.00.) This will decide where you work, as you will have to factor in where you can afford to work or how may tolls you can afford to pay on the way. Even worse, the M3 tolls will be anti-commercial for Meath, more so for Cavan. As an example, compare Meath with Dublin's other commuter belt county of Kildare. Take Naas and Navan - with a choice of both, what company is going to choose the town with no rail and 2 tolls (Navan) ahead of the town with no tolls and rail (Naas). Far from encouraging economic growth the tolls will stunt it. Which means a reduced likelihood of being able to find local employment in Meath. --------------------------------------------------------- The Dunboyne Park and Ride Facility & the M3 Tolls The Dunboyne Park and ride facility will be located after the 2nd toll on the M3. The reason for this is that to maximise tolling the Government is unwilling to leave competition for the M3 tolls. Therefore to use this limited facility some would have to pay 2 tolls, parking charges and rail ticket charges. --------------------------------------------------------- The Tara delay & the M3 Tolls What might you ask has the Tara construction delay got to do with the tolling? Well, in the original M3 plans, the M3 passed Navan and Skryne to the east in a straight line which is good planning for a motorway, bad planning for tolling. Route P (see www.shane-ross.ie) made perfect sense from a Motorway planning perspective but made no sense from a tolling perspective. So why was the route changed so the Navan interchange was on the N3 just south of Navan? To paraphrase another, 'It is the tolling, stupid.' Tolling priorities meant that the M3 had to intersect with the old N3 at a point south of the town to funnel all traffic onto the M3 for Toll harvesting. Otherwise some commuters would have continued to use the old N3 for free. The funnel point is unfortunately at the Hill of Tara, cause of indefinite construction delays. The Blundelstown interchange is the biggest issue for the Tara route objectors as it will be 26 acres in size, floodlit and situated between Tara and the Tara na Rí pub on the N3. --------------------------------------------------------- Dublin Navan Kells Railway & the M3 Tolls Remember that the NRA has designed the current M3 to eliminate all competition - the N3 because it is free, and the railway because it is faster. It is a fact that not one bridge or flyover is being placed where the M3 crosses the old Dublin Navan Kells railway. Minister Noel Dempsey has stated with the NRA that this will not inhibit reopening of the line in future - this is false. Trains need a long distance to climb to any height and it will cost more to put in over-bridges for the rail at a later date. It would be far easier to incorporate the bridges into the M3 Construction now so that the M3 goes over the rail. If this isn't done now then it is unlikely the old rail-line will ever be opened again due to construction costs. It is particular folly not to reopen the railway line as Navan to Dublin City Centre journey times would be 50 mins. The same trip by car take 2 hours frequently. Even if the train doesn't suit you it is estimated that such a rail link would take 4,000 to 5,000 cars our of Blanchardstown per hour during peak times. --------------------------------------------------------- Blanchardstown M50 Interchange & the M3 Tolls Blanchardstown is getting worse. This is by far the worst bottle-neck for anyone commuting to Dublin. During the M50 upgrade, the M3 delay and the upgrade of the interchange itself, traffic here will become much worse than at present. The Blanchardstown M50 interchange is the best reason to reopen the Dublin - Navan - Kells Railway. Most commuters from Navan, for example, can get to the Blanchardstown shopping centre in 30 to 40 minutes. However, it can take an hour plus to get from there across to Castleknock or onto the M50. This is a distance of less than a mile. Even if the train doesn't suit you it is estimated that such a rail link would take 4,000 to 5,000 cars our of Blanchardstown per hour during peak times. But because of the tolls this won't happen. --------------------------------------------------------- Navan Kells Rail-link This is not going to happen, according to the Navan County Development plan. In the plan, the New Navan Town Centre will be built on the old rail route, blocking access to Kells. --------------------------------------------------------- Thank your subscribing. Could you please email by return any comments and as to whether you would be willing to get involved in the campaign, or attend a public meeting. Any queries please contact: Proinsias Mac Fhearghusa 0863213755