Postponed toll increases on M50 and eight other national roads to kick in from next month

The increases were due to take effect from January 1 last but were put off because of rows in Government over the cost of living crisis.

Tolls on the M50 will now rise on July 1 by 30c for cars without tags or video accounts, bringing the price per journey to €3.50.

Motorists with tags or video accounts will be charged 20c more, bring the price to €2.30 for the former and €2.90 for the latter.

Other categories of vehicles will pay increases of between 20c and 50c.

Tolls on the M1, M7, M8, N6, N25 Waterford By-pass and N18 Limerick Tunnel will rise by 10c for cars and between 30c and 50c for larger vehicles.

An increase of 10c will apply to cars, buses and light goods vehicles on the M3 with 20c and 30c increases for larger vehicles.

Car drivers on the M4 will pay 20c more while other categories will cost 40c-60c more.

No increase is planned for the Dublin Port Tunnel or the Eastlink this year.

The increases were first announced by Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) last November and instantly caused uproar as they came in the middle of soaring energy prices.

The coalition gave in and granted a deferment, agreeing to cover the estimated €12 million in lost revenue to TII, which operates the M50, and the private toll operators in charge of the other roads.

Confirming the end of the deferral period, Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) pointed out that there has been no increase in tolls for cars and small passenger vehicles using the M50 for ten years.

TII also stressed the increases were in line with inflation and were based on an increase in the consumer price index of 8.6pc between August 2021 and August 2022.

It said the revenues raised were used to fund road maintenance.

“TII is required under legislation to maintain a safe and efficient network of national roads and the M50 toll funds the maintenance and operation of the M50.

“A deferment of the toll increase on the M50 would have required funding to be reallocated from other national road projects and reduce funding for asset management and renewal activities,” it said.