Taoiseach opens Kilcock - Kinnegad Bypass

Date: 13 December 2005

Notorious bottleneck removed 10 months ahead of schedule

New performance criteria for toll operator

10 months ahead of schedule, An Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern TD today (12th December, 2005) opened the Kilcock Kinnegad bypass. The new bypass will mean time savings of 20 minutes plus for people using the N6 and N4 Galway and Sligo roads and remove one of the most notorious bottlenecks in the country.

The opening means it is now possible to travel on continuous motorway and high quality dual carriageway from Dublin to West of Kinnegad on the N6 (a distance of 55kms) and from Dublin to west of Mullingar on the N4 (a distance of 74kms).

Speaking at the opening, the Taoiseach said: "We have all worked to generate the resources necessary to continue to improve the lives of everybody. Delivery of infrastructure projects like the Kilcock-Kinnegad bypass mean road journeys can de done in less time, a major plus for communities and prosperity in the West and Midlands."

Joining the Taoiseach at the opening, Minister for Transport, Martin Cullen TD welcomed completion of the longest single road contract undertaken in Ireland.

Minister Cullen said: "We are working hard to deliver a transport network that lets people commute easily and lets business do business. We need infratrsructure, like the new Kilcock-Kinnegad bypass, that efficiently moves people, goods and services where they want to go, when they want to go.

"The significance of this project in the development of the Galway and Sligo to Dublin road corridors is immense. In addition to making the journey west that much easier for thousands of motorists, the new route will add further to the attractions of the Midlands and the Counties of Kildare, Meath and Westmeath as places to live and work.

"The opening of this scheme almost a year ahead of schedule further demonstrates the role of PPPs in the delivery of much needed road infrastructure. As the recently opened Dundalk bypass demonstrated, PPPs allow us to deliver projects faster, efficiently and at little or no cost to the taxpayer", Minister Cullen said.

Overall three PPP projects have been completed, (M50 Second West-Link Bridge, Dundalk Western By-pass and now the Kilcock Kinnegad bypass), one is in construction and ahead of schedule (N8 Rathcormac/Fermoy By-Pass) and six are at various stages of planning and procurement.

Of these six projects, the Waterford City By-pass, the N7 Limerick Tunnel, the M3 Clonee/Kells motorway and phase 2 of the M50 upgrade, are being targeted by the NRA for a 2006 start.

The National Roads Authority estimates that private investment in PPP projects amount to approximately €500m to date and that it will amount to approx €2bn over the period to 2010. This is a significant complementary addition to Exchequer funding, Minister Cullen said.

The Minister stated that lessons have been learned and applied from the West-Link experience and strong safeguards have been built in to prevent PPP companies earning super-profits and to ensure a high level of toll plaza performance. "The fact alone that the Kilcock/Kinnegad toll concession was only awarded following a strongly competitive procurement process contributed substantially to a good outcome from a value for money perspective."

"The performance criteria ensure that the tolling facilities will provide an efficient method of toll collection and that there will be little if any delay to users", he said.

The PPP agreement provides that:

each automated toll collection express lane will allow unhindered passage of a vehicle with a valid transponder;

for each direction of approach to a toll station, the average queue of vehicles calculated across all lanes will be no greater than 6 vehicles; and

the queue of vehicles waiting in any toll lane shall not exceed 12 vehicles at any time.

A strict performance regime is provided for in the PPP contract to ensure compliance with these requirements. Defaults in performance by the PPP Company lead to the imposition of a financial penalty together with the award of points under a penalty points system which may trigger increased levels of monitoring at the PPP Company's cost and ultimately contract termination. "These provisions while not requiring the barriers to be lifted, clearly incentivise the operator to maintain a high level of service", said Minister Cullen.

Referring to Transport 21 Minister Cullen said that Ireland is moving into a new era for transport. The investment of €34.4bn, including nearly €16.5bn for national roads, will transform this country's transport network over the next ten years, he said.

"Transport 21, containing as it does an integrated approach to meeting Ireland's transport needs underpinned by sustained high levels of investment, will improve our competitiveness, promote more balanced regional development and improve the quality of life for all our citizens.

"Building on the progress that has been made since 1997 this Government is committed, through Transport 21 to ensuring that Ireland has the transport infrastructure to support ongoing growth and development."

Minister Cullen asked that all who drive on the new Bypass to drive responsibly and treat all other road users with courtesy.

Mr Peter Malone, Chairman of the National Roads Authority stated: "The success of Public Private Partnership (PPP) road schemes continues to go from strength to strength. 2005 has been a highly successful year for PPP schemes with two projects coming in ahead of schedule.

Today marks the completion of the longest single section of motorway opened in the history of this country - the M4/M6 Kilcock-Kinnegad scheme, a runaway success opening an impressive 10 months ahead of schedule. The Kilcock Kinnegad project is a major success story following hot on the heels of the completion of the Dundalk Western Bypass in September, which was completed 5 months ahead of target.

PPP schemes are firmly on the agenda in Ireland in order to meet the growing need here for a top class infrastructure comparable with the standards enjoyed by other European countries. To ensure this becomes a reality sooner rather than later investment from the Private Sector is vital to meet the need to accelerate the pace of infrastructure development thus ensuring Ireland's economy remains competitive."

Further information:

Dan Pender 01 6041090 / 087 - 2313415

Veronica Scanlan 01 6041087 / 087 - 6430622