M50 Toll Charges

Mech1

It was just said on RTE news that the M50 toll has 120,000 users per day.

If every pass was at the lowest possible price per car of €2.10, Im not adding the higher charges here for vans and trucks or even for cars that dont have a eflow account, that adds up to a massive income.

120,000 * €2.10 = €252,000 per day! Minimum.

So why dont our government own this cash cow?

I recon quarter of a million per day rolling into the coffers from the M50 alone would sort our economic problems pretty quick.

com1

Mech1 wrote: »

It was just said on RTE news that the M50 toll has 120,000 users per day.

If every pass was at the lowest possible price per car of €2.10, Im not adding the higher charges here for vans and trucks or even for cars that dont have a eflow account, that adds up to a massive income.

120,000 * €2.10 = €252,000 per day! Minimum.

So why dont our government own this cash cow?

I recon quarter of a million per day rolling into the coffers from the M50 alone would sort our economic problems pretty quick.

Erm... They do!

Lyger

Isn't it NRA (National Roads Authority)?

wexie

quick sum :

250000 a day

250000 * 365 = 91250000 (91.25 million) a year

25000000000 (25 billion) / 91250000 = roughly 273 years..... that's before Eflows staff have been paid, the M50 has been fixed etc. etc. etc.

So errr....sadly...it'd be a drop in the bucket

(granted, it's a drop that should be going into the taxpayers bucket but that's an entirely different discussion)

* yes I do appreciate the 25 billion number is pretty arbitrary and there are much more complex issues to be accounted for, just using the numbers to illustrate quite how little a quarter of a million a day matters in the vastness of Irelands economic woes.

anncoates

They didn't own it when it was built but they own it now?

wexie

anncoates wrote: »

They didn't own it when it was built but they own it now?

wasn't there some kind of controversy about how there was a contract that the gooberment would take ownership after the owners had collected tolls for a suitable time but the contract wasn't enforced or somethingorother?

(wanders of mumbling)

HeidiHeidi

The East Link was handed back recently - is that what people are thinking of?

Government decided to keep charging anyway, even though I'm fairly sure there was a promise that they'd free it up once they took ownership of it :mad:

I doubt the M50 bridge has been handed back yet, seems far too soon. Although I'm obviously open to correction on that!

kneemos

The toll ends in a set number of years when the Government takes it over or in theory should cancel it as the road will have been paid for.

micks_address

kneemos wrote: »

The toll ends in a set number of years when the Government takes it over or in theory should cancel it as the road will have been paid for.

I'm pretty sure the government paid national toll roads millions for the m50 toll back when bertie was in charge as part of a compulsory purchase order

micks_address

http://m.independent.ie/irish-news/private-firm-to-reap-115bn-bonanza-from-m50-toll-deal-26628381.html

kneemos

micks_address wrote: »

I'm pretty sure the government paid national toll roads millions for the m50 toll back when bertie was in charge as part of a compulsory purchase order

Maybe so.I thought they paid them off so they could reclaim it.

Peregrine

The state (NRA) owns it now(since 2008 or something) but they have to pay NTR €50m a year in compensation 'til 2020.

kneemos

Another major project screwed up by our gombeen men.

Richard Hillman

HeidiHeidi wrote: »

The East Link was handed back recently - is that what people are thinking of?

Government decided to keep charging anyway, even though I'm fairly sure there was a promise that they'd free it up once they took ownership of it :mad:

I doubt the M50 bridge has been handed back yet, seems far too soon. Although I'm obviously open to correction on that!

I was listening to the radio either today or yesterday. Apparently Dublin City Council are in possession of the Eastlink toll.

Thats the same council where the Against Literally Everything Alliance are in control of. Sinn Fein, PBP, AAA and good aul Christy "Gareth Brooks" Burke. Their first ever bit of power and did they get rid of the toll?...........Nope

Crossing a bridge to get to work is a bit too upper class for these folks.

HeidiHeidi

Richard Hillman wrote: »

I was listening to the radio either today or yesterday. Apparently Dublin City Council are in possession of the Eastlink toll.

Thats the same council where the Against Literally Everything Alliance are in control of. Sinn Fein, PBP, AAA and good aul Christy "Gareth Brooks" Burke. Their first ever bit of power and did they get rid of the toll?...........Nope

Crossing a bridge to get to work is a bit too upper class for these folks.

That'd be like how they're DEFINITELY going to get rid of the water tax, the property tax, the USC etc etc - yeah?

anncoates

micks_address wrote: »

http://m.independent.ie/irish-news/private-firm-to-reap-115bn-bonanza-from-m50-toll-deal-26628381.html

Good old Pee Flynn eh.

Barely There

wexie wrote: »

wasn't there some kind of controversy about how there was a contract that the gooberment would take ownership after the owners had collected tolls for a suitable time but the contract wasn't enforced or somethingorother?

(wanders of mumbling)

No.

The original contract was for NTR to operate the toll for 30years, but the Contract was bought out early by NRA in mid-2008.

Mr. Incognito

The Flood Tribunal has heard evidence that Mr Flynn was given a political donation of £8,000 in 1992 by NTR.Donation

It also heard evidence that former NTR head Tom Roche Snr gave a IR£10,000 donation to Mr Redmond for his help in acquiring land to build the toll bridge on.

Bribing policitian £10,000

Benefit €1.15 Billion.

Irish Democracy at it's besst

CrazyRabbit

There is a toll on the M50???


Signed: The Motorcyclist.

nelly17

At the rate were going I could see a requirement for another upgrade by 2020 either that or another orbital route linking towns on the commuter belt intersecting with the main motor ways but that would have a huge cost

fryup

who goes out of their way to avoid it??

gandalf

fryup wrote: »

who goes out of their way to avoid it??

I travel it every day to and from work. My trip takes 20-25 minutes, if I went the "alternative" route it would take at least and hour each way. I would prefer if it wasn't charged and tbh a ring road around a city that takes traffic out of the city should not be tolled.

They need to create another ring road further out again from the M50 to alleviate the traffic levels or it will grind to a halt in the next few years. The traffic levels even over the last six months have got a lot higher during rush hour as more people get back to work.

nelly17

The problem is that to get from one Major Motorway to another within about a 20 Mile Radius of Dublin you need to go via the M50 - Its not a Metro motorway its actually both a Metro and National Motorway. If you consider the Motorway Network a wheel the M50 is the Hub of that wheel.

micks_address

gandalf wrote: »

I travel it every day to and from work. My trip takes 20-25 minutes, if I went the "alternative" route it would take at least and hour each way. I would prefer if it wasn't charged and tbh a ring road around a city that takes traffic out of the city should not be tolled.

They need to create another ring road further out again from the M50 to alleviate the traffic levels or it will grind to a halt in the next few years. The traffic levels even over the last six months have got a lot higher during rush hour as more people get back to work.

Its not worth avoiding - i travel from swords to citywest every day and have gone via the back of blanchardstown via lucan etc and it takes about 50 minutes that way.. if there isnt a problem on the m50 i can do the journey in 30 minutes..

What I do find a bit unfair though is that I get hit with the toll twice daily whereas colleagues that drive to wicklow on the m50... dont pay the toll at all.. i think it would be fairer if they could toll at exits/entries and lower the toll by 50% if everyone going soundbound were paying as well they would still make as much money..

It is a serious cost each year.. i think in the last 12 months i've paid nearly 900 euro in tolls..

i agree that an outer orbital road from ballbriggan etc would make a big difference.. There were articles in last weeks papers about how they cant add capacity to the m50.. so they have to provide an alternative... the recent burning truck shutting down northbound traffic was a clear example of how dependant people are on the road

fryup

the fact that the toll is only situated on one part of the m50 makes it kinda unfair..depending on where you're travelling you could use it everyday and never have to pay a cent

gandalf

micks_address wrote: »

What I do find a bit unfair though is that I get hit with the toll twice daily whereas colleagues that drive to wicklow on the m50... dont pay the toll at all.. i think it would be fairer if they could toll at exits/entries and lower the toll by 50% if everyone going soundbound were paying as well they would still make as much money..

It is in the plans for next year. Hopefully they won't use it as an excuse to raise the cost for all but to equally share out the cost.

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/varadkar-objects-to-m50-toll-plans-29322680.html

It is a serious cost each year.. i think in the last 12 months i've paid nearly 900 euro in tolls..

I know your pain I am in the same position.

i agree that an outer orbital road from ballbriggan etc would make a big difference.. There were articles in last weeks papers about how they cant add capacity to the m50.. so they have to provide an alternative... the recent burning truck shutting down northbound traffic was a clear example of how dependant people are on the road

Yep I think they did have another outer ring road planned but it was shelved because of the countries financial problems. I think that should be looked at before extending the M50 further.

Elmer Blooker

gandalf wrote: »

Yep I think they did have another outer ring road planned but it was shelved because of the countries financial problems. I think that should be looked at before extending the M50 further.

In theory an outer ring road (M1 to M7) or "another M50" is a good idea but only if exit and entry junctions are only at the M2, M3, M4 and M7 and nowhere else. This would be the only way to prevent it becoming another commuter rat run.

gandalf

Elmer Blooker wrote: »

In theory an outer ring road (M1 to M7) or "another M50" is a good idea but only if exit and entry junctions are only at the M2, M3, M4 and M7 and nowhere else. This would be the only way to prevent it becoming another commuter rat run.

Yep I agree with you totally. The outer outer ring road should be a route to allow HGV's avoid Dublin totally if they are transporting from one place to another in Ireland eg from the ferries in Rosslare or Cork to Dundalk.

Plus it shouldn't be tolled.

Lovely Bloke

Use it every day myself, and reckon they should stick a second toll on it somewhere around J13 and move the north-side one closer to the airport (maybe by one junction, so between 5&6 instead of between 6&7), halve the fees at both and they'll still have roughly the same take, but it will be fairer.

The road is a god send really, I live in Finglas and work in Leopardstown, and the journey is approx 25mins at 715am, and the same back at 4pm - if I was to go the other way, either through town, or through the park, I'd at least double that journey time.

It was a nightmare last week with the burning hay though, bleedin farmers shouldn't have been on it in the first place though.

micks_address

gandalf wrote: »

It is in the plans for next year. Hopefully they won't use it as an excuse to raise the cost for all but to equally share out the cost.

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/varadkar-objects-to-m50-toll-plans-29322680.html



I know your pain I am in the same position.



Yep I think they did have another outer ring road planned but it was shelved because of the countries financial problems. I think that should be looked at before extending the M50 further.

i doubt we will see anything as soon as next year unfortunately

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/traffic-tops-boomtime-levels-as-120000-motorists-a-day-use-m50-30640715.html

for people who have to use the m50 for getting to work it might an option to offer a tax credit or something.. just to ease the burden a bit

gandalf

micks_address wrote: »

i doubt we will see anything as soon as next year unfortunately

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/traffic-tops-boomtime-levels-as-120000-motorists-a-day-use-m50-30640715.html

for people who have to use the m50 for getting to work it might an option to offer a tax credit or something.. just to ease the burden a bit

Unfortunately yes it is going to get worse with heavier traffic and all it takes is one crash and the whole thing grinds to a halt.

At least if they started on the Outer Ring Road in the next six months there may be some light for three years down the line. Let's hope they have something in the upcoming budget next week for something like this.

Tax credit would at least offer some relief for those using this route to get to work.