West-Link
Encyclopedia
The West-Link is a toll bridge (actually twin bridges
) on the M50 motorway
to the west of Dublin, Ireland
, operated by BetEire Flow Limited
(trading as eFlow
) for the National Roads Authority
.
at a point known as the Strawberry Beds. On the motorway it starts at a point approximately 2km south of junction 6 (Blanchardstown
) and runs to a point almost immediately north of junction 7 (Palmerstown
). It is 385 metres long, and at its highest elevation it is 41.5 metres above the river. It currently handles 98,000 vehicles per day. The bridge is the only Liffey crossing between Chapelizod
and Lucan Bridge
(both of which are narrow two-lane structures and thus it carries a large amount of traffic passing between the north
and south
Dublin suburbs.
recognition via overhead gantries. The toll is currently €2 for vehicles with a pre-paid tag, €2.50 for vehicles whose number plates have been registered with eFlow
, and €3 for unregistered vehicles. Unregistered vehicles who fail to pay at Payzone outlets receive escalating fines depending on how long the toll remains unpaid.
Prior to 29 August 2008, tolling was usually by cash payment at a toll plaza to the former operators NTR plc
. A prepaid tag system, Eazy Pass
, was also used since the early 2000s but was not barrier-free unlike the present arrangements.
The tolling remains a single point operation
(then called National Toll Roads plc) under a deal with Dublin County Council
, the bridge was an early example of public private partnership (although that term was not used at the time) and was the first section of toll motorway to open in the State. In return for constructing and maintaining the bridge NTR received the right to operate it as a toll bridge for thirty years. Originally a single span structure, a second span was completed and opened in September 2003. In 2007, the National Roads Authority reached a deal with NTR to buy out the toll bridge effective 1 August 2008. However, for traffic management
purposes, a toll remains, a situation prompting widespread and ongoing criticism. NTR continued to operate the bridge until 29 August 2008 when, at midnight eFlow
took over. The toll plaza was at that point replaced by overhead gantry based electronic tolling.
Twin bridges
Twin bridges are a set of two bridges running parallel to each other. A pair of twin bridges is often referred to collectively as a twin-span or dual-span bridge. Bridges of this type are often created by building a new bridge parallel to an existing one in order to increase the traffic capacity...
) on the M50 motorway
M50 motorway (Ireland)
The M50 motorway is a motorway in Ireland running in a C-shaped ring around the north-eastern, northern, western and southern sides of the capital city, Dublin. The northern end of the route is located at the entrance to the Dublin Port Tunnel. Anti-clockwise it heads northwest through the tunnel...
to the west of Dublin, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, operated by BetEire Flow Limited
EFlow
eFlow is a tolling brand name of a company in Ireland which manages the collection of tolls electronically. Is is best known for operating the "barrier free" tolling system which was introduced on the M50 motorway around Dublin on 30 August 2008....
(trading as eFlow
EFlow
eFlow is a tolling brand name of a company in Ireland which manages the collection of tolls electronically. Is is best known for operating the "barrier free" tolling system which was introduced on the M50 motorway around Dublin on 30 August 2008....
) for the National Roads Authority
National Roads Authority
The National Roads Authority is a state body in the Republic of Ireland, responsible for the national road network. The NRA was established as part of the Roads Act 1993 and commenced operations on 23 December 1993 in accordance with S.I. 407 of 1993.County councils remain responsible for local...
.
Structure
The bridge crosses the River LiffeyRiver Liffey
The Liffey is a river in Ireland, which flows through the centre of Dublin. Its major tributaries include the River Dodder, the River Poddle and the River Camac. The river supplies much of Dublin's water, and a range of recreational opportunities.-Name:The river was previously named An Ruirthech,...
at a point known as the Strawberry Beds. On the motorway it starts at a point approximately 2km south of junction 6 (Blanchardstown
Blanchardstown
Blanchardstown is a large suburb of Dublin in the district of Fingal, Ireland. It is within the historical barony of Castleknock. It is located 10 km north-west of the city centre. The suburb is in the Dublin 15 postal area, the Dublin West electoral constituency, and Fingal County...
) and runs to a point almost immediately north of junction 7 (Palmerstown
Palmerstown
Palmerstown , occasionally referred to as Palmerston, is a suburb of Dublin,Ireland. It is located about 8km west of the city centre, in the administrative county of South Dublin. The area is bordered to the north by the River Liffey, to the west by Lucan, to the south by Ballyfermot and to theeast...
). It is 385 metres long, and at its highest elevation it is 41.5 metres above the river. It currently handles 98,000 vehicles per day. The bridge is the only Liffey crossing between Chapelizod
Chapelizod
Chapelizod is a picturesque Irish village preserved within the city of Dublin, Ireland. It lies in the verdant wooded valley of the River Liffey, on the way to the slopes of the Strawberry Beds, below the Phoenix Park. The village is associated with Iseult of Ireland and the location of Iseault's...
and Lucan Bridge
Lucan Bridge
Lucan Bridge is a road bridge spanning the River Liffey in the town of Lucan in Dublin, Ireland. It joins Lucan's Main Street to the Lower Lucan Road, carrying traffic towards Clonsilla and the north....
(both of which are narrow two-lane structures and thus it carries a large amount of traffic passing between the north
Northside (Dublin)
The Northside is the area in County Dublin, Ireland bounded to the south by the River Liffey to the east by Dublin Bay, to the north and west by the boundaries of County Dublin.- Introduction :...
and south
Southside (Dublin)
The Southside is not an official administrative area but a colloquial term referring to the area of County Dublin bounded to the north by the River Liffey to the east by Dublin Bay, to the south and west by the boundaries of County Dublin...
Dublin suburbs.
Tolling system
Since 30 August 2008, tolling is by means of number plateNumber plate
A number plate may be:* a vehicle registration plate* a plate attached to a locomotive indicating their number, particularly in the UK and Australia, which are often collected as memorabilia....
recognition via overhead gantries. The toll is currently €2 for vehicles with a pre-paid tag, €2.50 for vehicles whose number plates have been registered with eFlow
EFlow
eFlow is a tolling brand name of a company in Ireland which manages the collection of tolls electronically. Is is best known for operating the "barrier free" tolling system which was introduced on the M50 motorway around Dublin on 30 August 2008....
, and €3 for unregistered vehicles. Unregistered vehicles who fail to pay at Payzone outlets receive escalating fines depending on how long the toll remains unpaid.
Prior to 29 August 2008, tolling was usually by cash payment at a toll plaza to the former operators NTR plc
NTR plc
NTR plc , the international renewable energy group, builds and runs green energy and resource-sustaining businesses....
. A prepaid tag system, Eazy Pass
Eazy Pass
Eazy Pass is the electronic toll payment system at East-Link and West-Link Toll Bridges & M1 Motorway outside Dublin, Ireland. In addition to East-Link, West-Link and M1 Toll Plaza, Eazy Pass is now accepted at all toll plazas in Ireland, including N4/N6 Kilcock-Kinnegad, N8 Fermoy By-Pass and...
, was also used since the early 2000s but was not barrier-free unlike the present arrangements.
The tolling remains a single point operation
History
The bridge was constructed as part of the first phase of the M50 motorway, and it and the section of motorway associated with it (junctions 6-7) were the first section of the M50 to open in 1990. Built by NTR plcNTR plc
NTR plc , the international renewable energy group, builds and runs green energy and resource-sustaining businesses....
(then called National Toll Roads plc) under a deal with Dublin County Council
Dublin County Council
Dublin County Council was a local authority for the administrative county of County Dublin in the Republic of Ireland. It was established by the Local Government Act 1898....
, the bridge was an early example of public private partnership (although that term was not used at the time) and was the first section of toll motorway to open in the State. In return for constructing and maintaining the bridge NTR received the right to operate it as a toll bridge for thirty years. Originally a single span structure, a second span was completed and opened in September 2003. In 2007, the National Roads Authority reached a deal with NTR to buy out the toll bridge effective 1 August 2008. However, for traffic management
Traffic management
Traffic management may refer to* Bandwidth management in computer networkingRoad traffic management in road transport* In combination with "policies", a black box of governmental or commercial policies...
purposes, a toll remains, a situation prompting widespread and ongoing criticism. NTR continued to operate the bridge until 29 August 2008 when, at midnight eFlow
EFlow
eFlow is a tolling brand name of a company in Ireland which manages the collection of tolls electronically. Is is best known for operating the "barrier free" tolling system which was introduced on the M50 motorway around Dublin on 30 August 2008....
took over. The toll plaza was at that point replaced by overhead gantry based electronic tolling.