NRA prepares to sue Port Tunnel builders

THE National Roads Authority is preparing to sue the contractor who built the Dublin Port Tunnel following a series of system failures.

Engineers are taking apart the tunnel's Scada safety system "piece by piece" as part of a review of operations which is expected to result in legal action.

The NRA has told Nishimatsu-Mowlem-Irishenco, the joint venture which built the tunnel, that the system must be replaced and the contractor will be expected to pay.

If a dispute arises, the NRA has vowed to go to the courts.

The Scada safety system controls the detection of vehicles, fire suppression mechanisms, closed circuit television and emergency lighting and is described as the "eyes, ears, nose and throat" of the tunnel.

Its failure has led to the tunnel being closed more than 20 times since it opened in December 2006, resulting in traffic chaos in the capital.

Expensive

Informed sources have told the Irish Independent that the taxpayer will not be paying for any replacement systems required in the €752m tunnel, which is Ireland's most expensive piece of infrastructure.

"There were quality assurances with the product, and we're saying to the contractor who built the tunnel that we're taking it apart and conducting a full review," one said.

"You will pay us to replace it, at your own cost. If it's a lightbulb that's broke, we look at the cost of replacing it. If it's €10, give us €10 or do it yourself.

"The Scada system is our eyes, ears, nose and throat. The manual override systems work fine, but we're taking it apart, the whole thing. There's a bond lodged for this, and these guys are insured."

Wrangling

"A big firm don't want residual wrangling. These people have reputations and don't want them dragged through the mud. We're going to seek all remedies open to us to ensure we get justification and that includes taking legal action."

The likely cost of replacing the system, which also controls communications, computer control systems, smoke detectors and power supply, could reach as much as €10m.

The likelihood of legal action arose after a Freedom of Information request seeking access to NRA records concerning the reliability of the tunnel's Scada system was refused.

The reason for refusal was that the documentation could be used in legal action against the joint venture.

The NRA said a review was underway.

"A detailed review of all operating systems in the tunnel will conclusively examine if there are any issues with the operating system," a spokesman said.

Dublin City Council, which commissioned the tunnel, is already in a dispute resolution process with the contractor over the final construction bill.

Legal action over the Scada system will be taken as a separate action. Last March it emerged the turbo-jet fans used to clean the air in the tunnel had to be replaced at a cost of €850,000, a year after being installed.

NRA sources have also said they were "not confident" about the reliability of the systems in place, but have stressed that the tunnel is safe.

Standard clauses in operation contracts can impose penalties against operators who fail to run the system as specified in the contract.

The tunnel is under warranty for 12 years, and for the first two years the builders are required to pay for any faults or failures. For 10 years after that, they must pay contractors employed by the NRA to carry out work on the faulty system.

Paul Melia
Irish Independent

www.buckplanning.ie

City drivers to get smart new petrol pitstop

THE country's biggest petrol station is to be built at the entrance to Dublin's Port Tunnel, writes Paul Melia.

The Statoil facility will be four times the size of a typical Irish service station.

Yesterday, the Dublin Port Company announced it would invest €7m and immediately begin building the station which would be fully open in January.

It will serve up to 10,000 trucks a day which use Dublin Port, along with 300,000 tourist cars each year and vehicles driven by the port's 4,000 staff.

The new facility will be open for truck refuelling from October, but not fully operational until January.

The development, described as the first integrated forecourt and truck park facility of its kind here, will include parking for 43 trucks; a trucker's lounge with games room, internet access and shower facilities; and a full restaurant.

The new station will provide relief for hard-pressed motorists who struggle to find a petrol station in the city. Running out of fuel is one of the biggest causes of M50 breakdowns.

Irish Independent

Port Tunnel serves one million trucks

Just six months after opening, the one-millionth truck has passed through the Dublin Port Tunnel.

Figures from the National Roads Authority (NRA) also show that more than 1.5m cars, trucks and buses have used the tunnel and have been kept out of the city centre since it opened in December 2006.

Since the tunnel opened six months ago, the number of trucks in Dublin city centre is down by 94%. New figures show that 13,000 vehicles are using the tunnel ona daily basis - 8,000 of which are trucks.

In addition, despite charges of up to €12 per trip, more than 4,500 motorists are also accessing the Port Tunnel every day.

Port Tunnel - Details of the HGV Cordon Restrictions

Dublin City Council have announced details of the Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGV) Cordon Restrictions, which come into operation on the 19th February 2007.

From that date, 5+ axle vehicles and over, will be prohibited from travelling within a cordon area of the city (roughly bounded by the canals) from 07.00-19.00 Monday to Sunday. Access to Dublin Port will be via the Dublin Port Tunnel for these vehicles. The only exception will be vehicles with a valid permit, issued by Dublin City Council.

"The HGV Cordon Restrictions will ensure maximum use of the Dublin Port Tunnel by heavy goods vehicles. It will also make the city more accessible for pedestrians, cyclists, public transport and other motorists" - said Michael Phillips, City Engineer and Director of Traffic,

A limited online permit scheme will be available from 13th February - Click Here - for 5+ axle vehicles that currently load or unload within the cordon.

There will be no charge for a Load/Unload Permit until May 1st - when a fee of €5 will apply. Daily permits will be produced and stored online and will be available to An Garda Siochána to enforce the system. The number of trips made - and the destinations within the cordon - will be recorded on the Permit.

Premises which need to receive deliveries from 5+ axle vehicles should register and supply a mitigation plan - showing how they plan to substantially reduce or eliminate the number of 5+ axle deliveries they require and the timescale involved in achieving this.

"The permit scheme is designed to facilitate the transition to minimal use of deliveries by 5+ axle vehicles within the city cordon" - said Michael Phillips. "The intention is to see a year-on-year reduction in the number of permits issued, as businesses change to 'out of cordon hours' deliveries - or to using smaller vehicles to make deliveries."

Vehicles of 5+ axle that are not allowed to use the Dublin Port Tunnel under the terms of the Tunnel bye-laws, may apply for a Transit Permit. This permit will allow the vehicle to exit or enter the port area, along East Wall Road and Alfie Byrne Road only. The vehicle may not use other designated roads within the cordon area. There is no charge for this permit.

In the event that the Port Tunnel is closed for a lengthy period, An Garda Siochána have the power to lift the HGV cordon restrictions if they feel it is warranted. Non-permit holders should only enter the cordon once an official announcement has been made.

Hauliers can register - Click Here - for SMS and email updates if the cordon restrictions are lifted. Variable Message Signs on the motorway - in the port and city - will also be updated as required. FM103.2 will give traffic information at peak hours and there is a 1800 29 39 49 number.

Fines of €800 will apply for a breach of the cordon - rising to a fine of €1500 for a second offence and a risk of a fine of €1500 and imprisonment for a third offence.


Crucial Dates

13th February 2007 - online registration opens for permits - Click Here
19th February 2007 - city cordon ban comes in to effect - only 5+ axle vehicles with valid permits can entry the cordon between 07.00 and 19.00 - Monday to Friday
2nd April 2007 - premises can register their details and submit a mitagation plan
1st May 2007 - permits are charged at €5 - rising to €10 in 2012.

Hauliers Welcome The Opening Of The Dublin Port Tunnel

The Irish Road Haulage Association today has welcomed the opening of the Dublin Port Tunnel. The association has campaigned for a very long period of time for the construction of this tunnel in order to alleviate the high levels of HGV congestion in Dublin city. The association stepped up its call for work to commence on the eastern bypass to begin without further delay and complete the final link in the transport jigsaw.

The association made these comments at the official opening of Dublin Port Tunnel, but remained very anxious about critically important health and safety issues such as the wisdom behind the high levels of hazardous freight expected to use the tunnel, safety on the M50 and the decision to close key roads to HGV’s wishing to travel to and from Dublin Port.

Commenting on the opening of the tunnel, Jimmy Quinn, spokesperson for the Irish Road Haulage Association said: “we question the policies advocated by the publicly appointed councillors of Dublin City Council and find some of their decisions illogical. An example of this can be seen by their decisions to close Sean Moore Road and East Wall Road now. We believe it would be more sensible to wait until the M50 has completed the construction of its three-lane carriageway. To do so now will only lead to immense difficulties on these major arteries in and out of Dublin city.

The IRHA is very committed to developing a common sense solution to the DCC HGV management strategy, but believes the present mindset by Dublin City Councillors will lead to chronic traffic congestion across the city unless a sensible outcome prevails involving the association.

Port Tunnel pushes up northside land prices

The northside is to benefit from the tunnel ...

The opening of the Dublin Port Tunnel (DPT) is already beginning to have an impact on industrial property values on the northside of Dublin. This increased level of activity in and around the tunnel entrance is likely to accelerate over the next twelve months and the benefits the tunnel will bring to the area will shift the focus of Dublin's industrial market from the west to the north of the city in the medium to long-term.

On opening, approx. 9,000 HGV's will be removed from the local road network in Dublin each day. Travel time from the Port Tunnel entrance at Santry to Dublin Port, which can take up to one hour on the N1, will be just seven minutes. There will be no toll charge applied to HGV's using the DPT, however, cars will pay a premium toll rate during peak hours, falling to a standard toll charge at off-peak times.

The reduced travel time to Dublin Port from the M50 will help the continued development and attractiveness of Dublin Port resulting in shorter, more reliable delivery times for business and industry. A reduction in travel times to and from the Port will help increase profitability and improve competitiveness for logistics, transport, manufacturing and distribution companies many of whom are operating in a low margins market.

A stringent enforcement strategy will have to be undertaken by Dublin City Council to ensure that the tunnel is effective in its objective. A decision has yet to be made in this regard but there are a number of options under consideration. These include:

• Time restrictions on access within the canal cordon
• Restrict HGV access within the canal cordon to permit holders only
• HGV tolling at the canal cordon

Regardless of which of the above enforcement strategies is applied, companies within close proximity of the tunnel entrance will have a competitive advantage over their competitors. They will have toll free access to the port whilst benefiting from the most time and fuel efficient means of accessing the port.

Companies going to or coming from the south or south-west of the City, will have to face toll charges, either at the West Link or the canal cordon. These charges and/or time restrictions will have an impact on operating costs and are likely to make some companies more competitive than others simply because of their location on the north side of Dublin.

With the Airport and recently opened M1 extension to Drogheda, the north side of the city already has much to offer occupiers in the industrial property market. However, the opening of the Port Tunnel next year will create a frenzy amongst occupiers as they battle it out for land and buildings which will give them access to the country's most important infrastructural project.

Areas already benefiting from the proposed new infrastructure include Santry and Clonshaugh, both of which are situated at the entrance to the Tunnel. At Clonshaugh Industrial Estate vacancy rates have plummeted over the last twelve months. One of the most recent transactions on the estate was the sale of the 30,000 sq. m. former Gateway 2000 facility for €16m towards the end of last year. This building had been vacant for almost three years at which time there was approx. 100,000 sq.m. of space available in Clonshaugh. This vacancy level stands at just 20,000 sq. m. today.

There are a number of older industrial estates within close proximity of the tunnel entrance which have potential for significant capital growth when it opens in 2006. Values on these older estates had been hardest hit when the industrial market weakened in 2002 & 2003. Many units have been available on these estates for a number of months and are now available at good value to purchasers. These estates include Dublin Industrial Estate, Airways Industrial Estate and Malahide Road Industrial Park, all of which are within minutes of the entrance to the Port Tunnel. Values on these estates may accelerate when the tunnel opens and the benefits of these locations become evident.

A price of €3.3m was secured in January for a 1.33 hectare site on the old Airport Road opposite Airways Industrial Estate. The site which is located approx. 2kms from the tunnel entrance had been on the market for over three years. These transactions are evidence of the pent-up levels of demand from investors and owner occupiers for good quality land and buildings which provide easy access to the Dublin Port Tunnel.

An area set to benefit significantly from opening of the Port Tunnel is Balbriggan. With the M1 Motorway extension from Dublin Airport to Courtlough now completed, the Port will be just twenty minutes from the Balbriggan / M1 Junction. Balbriggan also enjoys a good road network via the M1 to Belfast and the improvement in access to Dublin Port may encourage more northern companies to develop smaller hub sites in Dublin. Land values in the area are currently in the region of €450,000 - €500,000 per acre and have obvious potential for significant growth over the next 2 to 3 years.

Two major business parks will be developed in Balbriggan during this period including Fingal Bay Business Park, a joint development between Howard Holdings and Fingal County Council. Already, an 80,000 sq.ft hi-bay warehouse has been completed for Bridgestone Tyres as has a 30,000 sq.ft office building for the Passport Office. Treasury Holdings has commenced development on the M1 Business Park, a new 80 acre development at the M1 / Balbriggan junction.

Balbriggan has the potential to become a prime industrial area over the coming years with significant road improvements under way in the immediate area coupled with easy access to the Port. At a time when many companies are adopting a "wait and see" approach to the industrial market, there is an opportunity now to capitalise on the current market with the potential for a significant uplift in values in the short to medium term.

Fingal County Council is expected to adopt its new development plan this summer. Significant landbanks are likely to be rezoned from agricultural/amenity uses to industrial, particularly between the Ballymun and M1 junctions on the northern side of the M50. This increase in the supply of industrial land is not just a result of the region's increased capacity to service more land since the completion of the Northern Fringe Sewer two years ago. It also points to the Council's aspirations for significant development and growth during the life of the new plan and the DPT will have a fundamental part to play in achieving these goals over the coming years.

Despite the higher than expected costs of providing the Tunnel and the ongoing political debate on increasing its height for super-cube trucks, the opening of the Dublin Port Tunnel in 2006 will exacerbate demand amongst owner occupiers and developers for industrial land and buildings across the north side of Dublin.

See Port Tunnel

For those who didn't run today, you can view the tunnel from construction to completion at http://www.dublinporttunnel.ie/about/photos/

Port Tunnel run a big success

Today's Port Tunnel 10km race was a big success. Over 10,000 people congregated at the start for what was to be a high spirited occasion. The runners took the left side of the tunnel up the hill and returned on the right side. The tunnel looked great, with messages of support throughout. Clonliffe Harriers did a great job organising the event, with volunteers from the Club on site from early morning. COngratulations to all involved in the organisation and to all those who ran.

Everyone should keep their medal and number; these will surely be collector's items in the years to come.

DUBLIN PORT TUNNEL TO OPEN ON 20th OF DECEMBER

Dublin City Council and the National Roads Authority today announced that An Taoiseach Bertie Ahern TD in the presence of the Lord Mayor of Dublin, Councillor Vincent Jackson will open the Dublin Port Tunnel on Wednesday 20th December 2006.

The €751million M50 Dublin Port Tunnel is the longest urban motorway in Europe, comprising two twin lane tunnels, each 4.5km long. It will provide a dedicated motorway, toll free for Heavy Goods Vehicles and buses, from the M50 to Dublin Port. All other vehicles will pay tolls ranging from €12 at peak hours to €6 and €3 off peak.

“The Dublin Port Tunnel is Ireland’s largest Civil Engineering Project and was particularly challenging to construct”, says Tim Brick, Project Engineer. “Construction commenced in June 2001 and has involved 5,000 construction and engineering staff working 7.5 million man-hours, without any fatality. Construction work is now completed and testing and commissioning is well advanced. Training of emergency services is ongoing while the Tunnel Operator, Transroute Tunnel Operations, is training its staff in preparation for the opening of the Tunnel.”

“Approximately 6,300 Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGV’s) will use the Dublin Port Tunnel each day, toll free, with benefits for hauliers and for the city environment”, says Hugh Creegan Head of Programme Management, National Roads Authority. “Buses with 25+ seats can also use the tunnel toll free, as can specially adapted cars for disabled drivers. Priority will be given to trucks and buses in the Tunnel. Cars and other vehicles will pay tolls of between €12 - 3 depending on the time of day. The revenues received from toll charges will go toward the operational cost of the Tunnel, with any surplus reverting to the State.”

The HGV strategy to take large trucks off Dublin city streets will be introduced approximately two months after the Tunnel opens. All HGV’s with 5 axles or more, exiting the Port, must use the Tunnel to access the national road network. A permitting system will be put in place by Dublin City Council prior to the commencement of the strategy. Dublin City Council and the National Roads Authority will shortly embark on a major public information campaign in 8 languages (English, Irish, Polish, Russian, French, German, Spanish and Chinese) to ensure that all potential users of the Dublin Port Tunnel are aware of safety information, how to behave when driving in the tunnel and to ensure that HGV drivers know that using the Tunnel is toll free for them.

Dublin Port Tunnel Run

Did you ever wonder if the Port Tunnel would open to the public. Well it will open next weekend for the Dublin Port Tunnel Run. 10,000 entrants! Entry has now closed, but come along and support the runners!

The Port Tunnel Race, a unique event in Ireland will take place in Dublin on the 10th of December. This is a 10K road race that will start at the north end of the tunnel finishing at the East Wall toll plaza.

We are looking to recruit runners for this event. You will have to register with the race organisers to take part on www.activeeurope.com. The organisers for this race are Clonliffe Harriers and, while interest is expected to be very high, numbers will be limited.

Participants are being encouraged to raise sponsorship for the charity so we are looking for people to take part with in aid of DEBRA Ireland.

Why DEBRA Ireland?

DEBRA Ireland is a charity researching cures and providing support for people with Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB), a rare genetic disorder that means skin and other internal linings are so fragile they blister or tear at the slightest touch. You may have seen the Channel 4 documentary “The boy who’s skin fell off” featuring Johnny Kennedy. All money raised for DEBRA Ireland will fund effective treatments and vital research into a cure for EB and support programmes such as Nursing and Respite Care, Medical and Recreational Equipment.