Cost of living takes its toll on drivers...
Road charge hikes as inflation soars and deferral ends
TOLLS on the country’s national road network are to increase from the beginning of next month.
This follows the conclusion of the Government’s six-month deferment of increases on road charges and will take effect on July 1.
The Department of Transport and Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) yesterday released a statement confirming the hike is driven by the current rate of inflation – which was 8.6% between August 2021 and August 2022.
There are 10 toll roads on the national road network – eight are operated under a “Public Private Partnership” (PPP) model and two are
operated directly on behalf of TII, which are the M50 and Dublin Port Tunnel. The toll increases will go up to their maximum rate – which is the rate of inflation but not in excess of it – on the M50 and the eight PPP routes but there will be no increase on the Dublin Port Tunnel.
Tolls on the M50 are to increase by 30c for cars without tags bringing the toll paid to €3.50 while cars with video accounts will see an increase from €2.70 to €2.90.
Cars with tags face a 20c increase to €2.30 and TII pointed out that there has been no increase on motor car tolls on the M50 for registered vehicles with tags for 10 years.
On the M1, M7, M8, N6, N25 at Waterford and N18 Limerick Tunnel, tolls for cars will increase from €2 to €2.10 while on the M3, car tolls will rise 10c to €1.60.
On the M4 there will be an increase of 20c for cars to €3.20. Last November the proposed increases and their timing in the context of cost of living pressures caused division in Government and the timing was criticised by then Taoiseach, Micheal Martin and then Tanaiste, Leo Varadkar.
However, Transport Minister Eamon Ryan indicated in interview that he accepted the proposed increases.
The Department of Transport spokesman said the cost of the sixmonth deferral is estimated at €12.5million, based on the forgone toll income along with administration charges and associated legal costs.
The TII statement said that “toll revenue is used for purposes including motorway maintenance, toll collection and operations, and for the maintenance of the wider national road network”.