Agreement in principle has been reached to build a second toll bridge adjacent to the existing West Link bridge in Castleknock, Dublin. The National Roads Authority (NRA) and National Toll Roads (NTR) said yesterday the project will cost £16.8 million. It is hoped that building will begin within 12 months and that the bridge will be open to traffic in early 2003.
The announcement marks the beginning of the first public-private partnership from those listed recently by the Government. Mr Michael Tobin, chief executive of the NRA, said: "The authority welcomes this significant step towards delivery of this project, the capital cost of which will be met entirely from private sources." Mr Tobin added that this approach increased the amount of Exchequer funds available for the upgrading of national roads.
The NRA is involved, with local authorities, in plans for a similar public-private partnership for a bypass in Waterford, incorporating a major river crossing, and the second phase of the Southern Ring Road in Limerick.
Mr Ciaran Blair, a director of NTR, said: "We are delighted to have reached agreement in principle with the NRA in relation to this major new public-private partnership initiative. The second bridge at West Link will assist in considerably easing the flow of traffic around the city." The new bridge will have the capacity to cater for additional traffic on the M50, including traffic using the Southern Cross Route, currently under construction and due for completion in mid-2001, and the South-Eastern Motorway, which should open to traffic in late 2003.