M50 Toll Penalty Rate Dismay and Possibly Alternative Route

Pappillon

Recently got a large fine from Eflow for not paying a journey promptly but...

1) People may argue that methods of payment are convieient and that the entire process is transparent and I'd agree, no problem.
What I don't agree with are the penalty prices if it is not paid promptly and in my eyes these prices amount to nothing other than complete extortion.
Toll in a car - €3.10
Price if not paid at 20.00 p.m. the following day - €3
Price if not paid 2 weeks after the journey - €47.10
Price if not paid after this - ??????????????????

Does anyone have experience of further penalty prices say after 1 month, 2 months etc?

2) Someone I know recently told me that it is against the constitution to have a toll in Ireland. Can anyone advise on this?

3) Finally, its a bit out of the way but the following route will avoid the M50 toll if travelling from Galway to the Airport and can be used as a guideline if travelling from other directions.
Maybe some one will benefit from using it...? I'm constructive when angry :-)

Galway -> M50 North Bound (TOLL FREE.....)

---

- Take the 4A slip road to the left towards Dodsboro off the N4 Galway - Dublin road
- Take the left at the T junction onto the R835
- Continue along the R835 for 500m and then take left onto R121 immediately after AIB bank on the left
- After approx 80m take the left at the T junction onto Main Street just after the BOI bank
- After approx 400m take left at the roundabout immediately after the Ulster Bank
- Cross the bridge and immediately at the lights follow the road to the right onto the 'Lower Road' R121
- After approx 1km, at a right bend, take a sharp left toward Clonsilla. Still on the R121
- Follow the winding R121 for approx 4km until you arrive in Clonsilla and take a left towards Coolmine at the large roundabout. Still the R121 and there is a sign for Coolmine in the centre of the grassy roundabout.
- After approx 400m, at the next roundabout turn right on to the R843
- After approx 300m, continue straight at the next roundabout
- After approx 400m, continue straight at the next roundabout
- Straight at the lights, passing under the N3 Navan -> Dublin Road
- Right at the next rounabout up a slip road and onto the the N3 Navan Dublin road.
- After approx 600m take the left onto the M50 (North bound)


M50 South Bound -> Galway (TOLL FREE.......)

---

- Take the N4 exit (No. 6) off the M50
- Follow the signposts towards Blanschardstown/Navan
- Once on the N3 (after approx 1km), continue for approx 500m and take the left lane on next slip road (signposted for Blanchardstown)
- Take a left at the lights onto the R843 Snugborogh Road
- Straight through the first roundabout after approx 300m
- Straight through the first roundabout after approx 500m
- Left at the next roundabout onto the R121 after approx 300m
- After approx 400m take the right at the next roundabout into Clonsilla. This is still the R121
- Follow the winding R121 for approx 4km until you have to stop at a T junction. Take the tight right at the junction towards the signposted Lucan and still following the R121.
- After approx 1km take a left, following the road, at the traffic lights across a bridge into Lucan.
- 100m after the bridge, at the Ulster Bank, take the right at the roundabout.
- Follow the R121 for approx 400m until you come to a set of traffic lights.
- Straight through the traffic lights onto the Adamstown Road R120
- Continue straight along the Adamstown Road R120 for aprox 1km until you cross over the N4 Dublin - Galway Road
- Once across the N4, take the right lane and subsequent right on the Galway bound slip road.

coffee_cake

Paying the toll would be a lot less effort than all that

Technoprisoner

its not against the constitution...but the constitution says this

Freedom to travel

You have a right to move freely within the State. You also have a broader right to travel and to obtain a passport for the purpose of travelling.
Your right to a passport may be restricted or limited. For example, before granting you bail, a court may require that you agree to hand over your passport. The State may also restrict your right to travel for the purposes of national security.


the big question is....does the m50 toll restrict your freedom to travel?

**Timbuk2**

The extra fuel costs of taking an alternative route to avoid a toll usually negate any apparent savings, and that's before you take into account the value of your time.

HeidiHeidi

Pappillon wrote: »

Recently got a large fine from Eflow for not paying a journey promptly but...

1) People may argue that methods of payment are convieient and that the entire process is transparent and I'd agree, no problem.
What I don't agree with are the penalty prices if it is not paid promptly and in my eyes these prices amount to nothing other than complete extortion.
Toll in a car - €3.10
Price if not paid at 20.00 p.m. the following day - €3
Price if not paid 2 weeks after the journey - €47.10
Price if not paid after this - ??????????????????

Does anyone have experience of further penalty prices say after 1 month, 2 months etc?

2) Someone I know recently told me that it is against the constitution to have a toll in Ireland. Can anyone advise on this?

3) Finally, its a bit out of the way but the following route will avoid the M50 toll if travelling from Galway to the Airport and can be used as a guideline if travelling from other directions.
Maybe some one will benefit from using it...? I'm constructive when angry :-)

Galway -> M50 North Bound (TOLL FREE.....)

---

- Take the 4A slip road to the left towards Dodsboro off the N4 Galway - Dublin road
- Take the left at the T junction onto the R835
- Continue along the R835 for 500m and then take left onto R121 immediately after AIB bank on the left
- After approx 80m take the left at the T junction onto Main Street just after the BOI bank
- After approx 400m take left at the roundabout immediately after the Ulster Bank
- Cross the bridge and immediately at the lights follow the road to the right onto the 'Lower Road' R121
- After approx 1km, at a right bend, take a sharp left toward Clonsilla. Still on the R121
- Follow the winding R121 for approx 4km until you arrive in Clonsilla and take a left towards Coolmine at the large roundabout. Still the R121 and there is a sign for Coolmine in the centre of the grassy roundabout.
- After approx 400m, at the next roundabout turn right on to the R843
- After approx 300m, continue straight at the next roundabout
- After approx 400m, continue straight at the next roundabout
- Straight at the lights, passing under the N3 Navan -> Dublin Road
- Right at the next rounabout up a slip road and onto the the N3 Navan Dublin road.
- After approx 600m take the left onto the M50 (North bound)


M50 South Bound -> Galway (TOLL FREE.......)

---

- Take the N4 exit (No. 6) off the M50
- Follow the signposts towards Blanschardstown/Navan
- Once on the N3 (after approx 1km), continue for approx 500m and take the left lane on next slip road (signposted for Blanchardstown)
- Take a left at the lights onto the R843 Snugborogh Road
- Straight through the first roundabout after approx 300m
- Straight through the first roundabout after approx 500m
- Left at the next roundabout onto the R121 after approx 300m
- After approx 400m take the right at the next roundabout into Clonsilla. This is still the R121
- Follow the winding R121 for approx 4km until you have to stop at a T junction. Take the tight right at the junction towards the signposted Lucan and still following the R121.
- After approx 1km take a left, following the road, at the traffic lights across a bridge into Lucan.
- 100m after the bridge, at the Ulster Bank, take the right at the roundabout.
- Follow the R121 for approx 400m until you come to a set of traffic lights.
- Straight through the traffic lights onto the Adamstown Road R120
- Continue straight along the Adamstown Road R120 for aprox 1km until you cross over the N4 Dublin - Galway Road
- Once across the N4, take the right lane and subsequent right on the Galway bound slip road.

Given that you'll (presumably) already have come through the M4 toll (which is manned, so you can't avoid/forget to pay it), would it not be easier just to set up a video account with eflow for which there is no standing charge, and which knocks 50c off the toll, and means that you automatically pay it?

Or are you talking about avoiding the M4 toll as well, by taking the old N4?

What you'd save in tolls you'd spend in petrol and wear and tear - on the car AND your nerves! IMO anyway.

lanyard

Pappillon wrote: »

Recently got a large fine from Eflow for not paying a journey promptly but...

1) People may argue that methods of payment are convieient and that the entire process is transparent and I'd agree, no problem.
What I don't agree with are the penalty prices if it is not paid promptly and in my eyes these prices amount to nothing other than complete extortion.
Toll in a car - €3.10
Price if not paid at 20.00 p.m. the following day - €3
Price if not paid 2 weeks after the journey - €47.10
Price if not paid after this - ??????????????????

Does anyone have experience of further penalty prices say after 1 month, 2 months etc?

2) Someone I know recently told me that it is against the constitution to have a toll in Ireland. Can anyone advise on this?

3) Finally, its a bit out of the way but the following route will avoid the M50 toll if travelling from Galway to the Airport and can be used as a guideline if travelling from other directions.

1) I rencently got a solicitors letter for non-payment of a return journey on the M50 toll. It was like 3 months late. I rang the Eflow resolution unit and paid €100 to sort it out. I then signed up for a video account to avoid future stress.

2) Nope

3) I would avoid the toll by crossing the liffey at Chapelizord - only at off peak times.

Mrs OBumble

My experience is a little different, but equally troublesome.

I don't own a car, but occasionally I rent. So my understanding is that there's nothing I can sign up for, 'cos signed-up things need to be attached to the car.

Paid the toll on-line that night, making sure I entered the right rego.

Couple of months later, I got a letter from the rental company, saying they had been notified of an unpaid fine, and as per the contract my credit card would be charged the €3 toll, plus an admin charge of €7.50. When I called to say I had proof of payment, they said to post in a copy, and once received they would transfer the fine to me and ony charge me the admin fee.

Now I added up what it would cost to post in the proof, then pay the fine (assuming without late penalties) ... and decided that it was as easy to leave things as they are.

But how can I avoid this in future? The right car registration was recorded on the payment. No excuse for it not being matched up ... unless the e-flow people are in cahoots with the car-rental people.

As someone said, the cost/stress of avoiding the toll probably makes it not worthwhile.

Fred Swanson

This post has been deleted.

Jamie2k9

1) People may argue that methods of payment are convieient and that the entire process is transparent and I'd agree, no problem.
What I don't agree with are the penalty prices if it is not paid promptly and in my eyes these prices amount to nothing other than complete extortion.
Toll in a car - €3.10
Price if not paid at 20.00 p.m. the following day - €3
Price if not paid 2 weeks after the journey - €47.10
Price if not paid after this - ??????????????????

Does anyone have experience of further penalty prices say after 1 month, 2 months etc?

If its not payed the price keeps going up. After the 2 weels period €102 is adde 8 weeks lather then Legal action is taking and you receive a letter saying pay a certain reduced amount or go to count. You may have to cover the legal letter costs.

I can't beleave you are complaining about the time frame for paying with the way technology all it takes a a few taps on the screen of you smartphone....

All the info is in the FAQ on website.

Recently got a large fine from Eflow for not paying a journey promptly but...

What I expect happened is because you are not living in Dublin you would expect not to be caught and get fined, just like you didn't expect to get caught for drink driving last yaer.

Polar101

Technoprisoner wrote: »

the big question is....does the m50 toll restrict your freedom to travel?

Not really, since the constitution doesn't say travelling in the State can't cost you anything.

Valetta

1) People may argue that methods of payment are convieient and that the entire process is transparent and I'd agree, no problem.
What I don't agree with are the penalty prices if it is not paid promptly and in my eyes these prices amount to nothing other than complete extortion.

You acknowledge that the payment methods are convenient and transparent.

This is the reason that the penalties are so severe- to encourage people to use the convenient and transparent payment methods.

ProudDUB

Valetta wrote: »

This is the reason that the penalties are so severe- to encourage people to use the convenient and transparent payment methods.

Agreed. Human nature being what it is, if there is no incentive (such as a stiff financial penalty) for people to pay in a timely manner, why will they?