The management of a frequently used toll plaza on one of the nation’s busiest motorways has been beseeched to lift the barriers for supporters coming for this year’s All-Ireland hurling final from Cork and Clare. This action is aimed at preventing a replication of last Sunday’s scenario where fans from Cork and Limerick faced lengthy hold ups. Tim Lombard, a senator from the Cork Fine Gael, implored MidLink M7/M8, operating the M7/M8 toll near Portlaoise to act so that all fans from Clare and Cork aren’t at the risk of skipping the prominent game because of gridlock at the toll booth.
The previous Sunday’s match between Cork and Limerick at the All-Ireland semi-final in the packed Croke Park was epic. Unfortunately, the fantastic day was tainted by the traffic logjam and long waits caused by the tolls on the motorway. The most affected area was the Laois toll plaza, where numerous people experienced terrible delays due to the traffic jam. A considerable number chose to abandon the motorway, opting for alternative routes to make it to the game in time,” Lombard reported.
He further noted that MidLink M7/M8 Ltd was commissioned by the Celtic Roads Group (Portlaoise) Ltd to oversee toll collection at the M7/M8 Toll Plaza in Laois, as part of a 30-year deal between the public and private sectors. The toll plaza will be handed back to public control in 2037.
He added that the most significant hold-ups were experienced at the toll near Portlaoise, where all traffic from Limerick and Cork converged. He stressed that such an incident must not be allowed to happen again when substantial numbers of fans will be travelling via the M7 motorway to attend the All-Ireland final.
Lombard explained that if the large volume of traffic proves too much for the toll to handle, the barriers should be open to prevent significant delays. There should be a proper strategy by the toll operators to avert lengthy delays for those aiming to get to Croke Park for the match, scheduled for a 3:30 pm start.
He ended by expressing relief over the absence of any reported accidents last Sunday amidst the heavy traffic, as fans from Limerick and Cork made their way to Dublin for the nail-biting semi-final. However, he underscored the necessity to take measures for ensuring smooth, tag-free traffic for the upcoming final.
Consideration could be given to eliminating the toll, and removing all hindrances for vehicles heading north between 10am and 2:30pm in order to facilitate a smooth journey to Croke Park for fans, and similarly from 5:30pm to 10:30pm to enable a hassle-free return journey south for the supporters.
As the All-Ireland hurling final replay is an exclusively Munster event attracting supporters from Cork and Clare, it is inevitable that traffic congestion will be the norm, given there will be in excess of 82,000 enthusiasts headed to Croke Park, with many aiming to utilise the M7 or M8 routes.
It becomes pivotal for MidLink to assure supporters from both Cork and Clare that they can anticipate arriving at the All-Ireland final punctually and also foresee a timely return following the match, which would be achievable by lifting the toll barriers,” was his assertion.