Irish Motorists Willing To Pay Reasonable Charges For Significantly Better Roads

Most Drivers Want More Investment in Roads

Substantial majority favour public and private investment in roads programme

A clear majority of Irish motorists would prefer to see toll charges on major road developments rather than other forms of raising the additional investment necessary. Motorists also have a clear view on what kind of toll charges they would consider reasonable. And three-quarters of all motorists believe that investment in our main roads should be increased.

These are among the views of motorists, closely mirrored by the opinions of the general population, as gathered in an independent survey.

The survey was conducted by Behaviour & Attitudes on behalf of the NRA among a nationally representative quota sample of 1,200 adults (including 743 motorists) across 60 sampling points in August 2001. The main information emerging is:

A majority of Irish motorists support reasonable toll charges rather than additional taxation. Asked to express a preference on how extra money should be raised for roads investment, this was what Irish motorists felt:

• 52% believe that only motorists should pay through a specific charge or toll per journey
• 14% believe that everyone should pay through extra taxation
• 7% believe that motorists should pay through higher motor taxes
• 5% believe that motorists should pay through higher petrol taxes
• 11% had no preferences
• 11% didn't know
• Expectations vary on how much motorists would expect to pay in toll charges. They would however expect to see significant time savings on the journeys in return for such charges. 62% of Irish motorists would regard a toll charge of £1.50 as good value in return for a journey of up to 50 miles on motorway or dual carriageway, and 46% would also see £3 as good value for a journey of 100 - 150 miles.
• Motorists, and the population generally, expect public private partnership to be beneficial in practice. 63% of Irish motorists accept that private investment in our roads will make the projects more efficient, and 69% that projects will be completed faster.
• 65% of Irish motorists believe that too little has been invested in our main roads in the past. 75% of Irish motorists support an increase in investment.
• Among Irish motorists, the three most important priorities for additional investment are: better road surface quality (71%); more safety (68%); and by-passes to eliminate traffic jams and bottlenecks (58%).
• Six out of every ten Irish adults are motorists. Three-quarters of Irish people prefer to undertake longer journeys (20 miles plus) by car rather than other means of transport.

Commenting on the findings, Mr. Gerard Murphy of the National Roads Authority said, "This is the first time that a genuinely independent survey has been conducted into the attitudes of Irish motorists, and Irish people generally, towards these important issues. What the figures demonstrate is a highly sophisticated understanding of the need for investment, the role that the private sector can play through partnership, and the reality that world-class roads have to be paid for here in Ireland as much as anywhere else."

Mr. Murphy went on to say that the National Roads Authority was encouraged by the level of support demonstrated by the poll. "All of the public private partnership projects undertaken by the Authority are governed by key principles," he said. "Wherever we are considering a tolled road, an alternative toll-free route must also be available, to give people a choice. We consider subsidising high-cost schemes to ensure that tolls are set at affordable levels. Tolled roads will be spread throughout the network, and we only consider tolls where we can demonstrate an ability to deliver value for money."

Mr. Murphy added that the Authority would shortly be launching an information campaign to make the public fully aware of the importance of a modern network. "In the next five years we will be building, on average, more than 100 miles of world-class road per annum - almost quadrupling our stock of top-class roads," he said. "We intend to ensure that people are fully informed about the significance of that achievement for the economy, for safety on the roads, and for our national quality of life."

For further information please contact

Gerry Murphy PPP Manager

01 660 2511 Ext. 260

or

Caroline O'Brien

01 660 2511 Ext. 254

086 6049430

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