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Tolls could be lifted at the East Link, but council bosses say they should stay

The bridge reverts to Dublin City Council ownership at the end of next year, but the city could lose out on €4 million in annual revenue if the toll is lifted.

A REPORT DETAILING possible options for the future of Dublin’s East Link Bridge recommends the city keep charging motorists for crossings after it reverts back to council ownership.

Built in 1984 under a deal between Dublin Corporation, Dublin Port and private company National Toll Roads — the bridge reverts back to the city on 31 December 2015.

The tolls charged at the bridge generated €4.2 million in profit last year (the council and the port splitting around a third of that amount, and the company that took over NTR’s interest receiving the lion’s share)

In the report, City Engineer Michael Phillips sets out the pros and cons of keeping the toll system in place, and sets out two options for how to proceed.

In the ‘pro’ column, councillors are told that keeping the toll would mean:

  • 100 per cent of the profits from the Toll facility would now accrue to DCC as the other two parties to the current arrangement, would no longer have any involvement.
  • Dublin City Council would seek a contractor to contract to operate the toll and provide the tolling facilities. The 22 existing staff employed on the toll facility would appear to have transfer of employment rights under any new arrangement.

Under the ‘negatives’:

  • Dublin City Council would lose the opportunity of €4.2 million toll revenue, as well as the loss of the €700,000 rates income.
  • The 22 Toll operation staff, many with long service at this facility, would be no longer required at this facility.
  • The removal of the toll booths and demolition of the existing toll plaza would cost Dublin City Council an estimated €850,000.

The City Engineer proposes to bring a report before the council in March recommending that the toll scheme be continued, and that a tendering process be undertaken to bring in a new operator for the bridge.

Contacted for reaction, Fine Gael councillor for the South East Inner City Kieran Binchy said:

“I would like to see us in a position where we can see the East Link go toll-free, but obviously that’s subject to us being able to balance the budget.

“Lifting the toll would of course help divert heavy traffic out of the city — it would also ease the burden on hard-pressed commuters.”

Members of the Council’s Transport and Traffic Committee will discuss the issue at a meeting next week.

Read: Celtic Tiger-era Liffey bridge can’t open

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    Mute Sean O'Sullivan
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    Apr 10th 2013, 6:02 PM

    When mine catches fire I just put it on a quick wash cycle….quenches it every time!

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    Mute Frank Hindsight
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    Apr 10th 2013, 7:46 PM

    Mine too caught fire the other day…..I tried to warn her about lighting her farts on Fajita y Tequila night in the gaf!!

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    Mute Irishboy1691
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    Apr 10th 2013, 5:29 PM

    So a free “in home repair” is the new recall and replacement?

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    Mute Paula Kennedy
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    Apr 10th 2013, 9:29 PM

    Never put on the dishwasher when you are going to bed

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    Mute brian magee
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    Apr 11th 2013, 8:09 AM

    Why’s that, people with night rates do it because its cheaper.
    The next generation of didhwashers are grid controlled and will turn them selves on in the middle of the night to avail of excess wind. And reduce the burden on the grid.

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    Mute brian magee
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    Apr 10th 2013, 5:38 PM

    How many fires before it becomes a pattern?

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    Mute mohamad oconnor
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    Apr 10th 2013, 5:29 PM

    Dishwasher! Not my department!!

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    Mute Kay Tighe
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    Apr 10th 2013, 5:38 PM

    A dishwasher lasting that long ?

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    Mute Michele Tobin
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    Apr 10th 2013, 6:17 PM

    Mines 13 years old. Survived many a child sittingvon open door!

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    Mute Sinead Fox
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    Apr 10th 2013, 10:59 PM

    Mine is ’04 so 9 years old and still working well, last washing machine lasted nearly 16years…

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    Mute Billy Higgins
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    Apr 10th 2013, 9:12 PM

    Any chance of posting model numbers affected?

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    Mute Fussy Galore
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    Apr 10th 2013, 11:12 PM

    Bosch are only doing something about this because of the threat of bad publicity and the pressure put on them by the Consumer Show programme on RTE TV. Bosch wouldn’t care less only for the coverage on the show and that it goes to show the importance of having a strong regulator / enforcer in such situations in order to protect consumers.

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    Mute Git Gray
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    Apr 10th 2013, 11:43 PM

    It will all come out in the wash

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    Mute The Red Devil
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    Apr 11th 2013, 1:30 AM

    I never put on the dishwasher when I’m going to bed- it’s to heavy

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    Mute Bernadette Dunne
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    Apr 11th 2013, 3:57 AM

    Lol lol comment of the week

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    Mute James
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    Apr 10th 2013, 7:13 PM

    Always the pump

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    Mute Bernadette Dunne
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    Apr 11th 2013, 3:43 AM

    I put on my washing machine and my dish washer every night and thankfully my clothes are clean and my dishes too…It’s a myth about running them at night being dangerous but I bet most of yea would run them while yea are out at work/ Shopping/or gone for lunch I save a fortune using then on the night saver too

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    Mute Alan McNamara
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    Apr 11th 2013, 5:36 AM

    Yeah but your not in the house, it’s much much worse if it went on fire and you were asleep.

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