From the start of the new year, there will be an increment of 10 cents in the tolls for a number of vehicles including cars, buses, coaches and light goods vehicles using the M50, unless they’re registered with a service provider for tolls. However, cars that have a toll account will not see an increase in their toll fees for using the M50.
In a separate development, southbound traffic through the Dublin Tunnel, formerly known as the Dublin Port Tunnel, will see a surge of €1 in their toll during peak morning hours. This means the tariff will be €13 rather than the current €12.
Justifying this rise, Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) stated that the increase was essential to maintain capacity for heavy goods vehicles (HGVs). It’s worth noting that HGVs have unrestricted, no-cost access to the Dublin Tunnel round the clock.
The Minister for Housing, Darragh O’Brien, voiced his objection towards the proposed hikes on Thursday, urging the TII and toll companies to rethink their decision. Speaking in the Dáil, he responded to Pearse Doherty of Sinn Féin who criticised the government, accusing them of increasing difficulties for motorists. Mr O’Brien acknowledged that the government does not determine the toll prices, but nevertheless agreed that the planned increases should be halted.
He has raised this issue with the Transport Minister, Eamon Ryan, despite the latter not being in charge of toll prices.
Finally, significant to note is that HGVs over 10,000 kg in weight using the M50 with a toll account will encounter a 10 cent increase in their tolls. For HGVs lacking such an account, the increase will be 20 cents.
A 10-pence increment has been initiated for buses, coaches, and Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs) on eight of the toll roads outside the primary Dublin area, namely the M1, M3, M4, M6, M7/M8, N8, N25 Waterford city detour, and the N18 Limerick channel. However, cars will not be subjected to this increase, except for those on the M4 Kilcock to Kinnegad, where a 10-pence extra charge will be applied. The M3 will carry unchanged toll rates for HGVs under 3,500kg. Nevertheless, for HGVs going beyond this weight on the M4 Kilcock to Kinnegad road, an increase of 20 pence has been established.
There exists a total of 10 toll roads within the national road network, with eight under a public-private partnership (PPP) arrangement, and two – the M50 and the Dublin Tunnel – are managed on behalf of the Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII). The toll rates that are imposed on the national road network are controlled through a Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation adjustment protocol outlined in the toll regulations, thereby limiting the toll increase to the inflationary effect exclusively.
Following the application of the August 2023 to August 2024 CPI inflation rate of 1.7%, specific toll rates across the eight PPP and two TII roads within the national network will experience an increase effective from January 1st, 2025, as announced by TII on Wednesday.
TII integrates the revenue collected from tolling with exchequer finance to cover the annual maintenance and refurbishment of national roads. The Board of TII gave their approval for these toll hikes set to take effect in 2025, for the Dublin Tunnel and the M50, and confirmed the contractual commitment to the increases on the eight PPP Toll schemes.