Toll Bridge Payment Methods

tf2

Can anyone shed some light on why Toll bridges in Ireland don't have uniform payment options?

Three tolls I use on a regular:

M6 - Galway - Ballinasloe
M4 at Enfield
Limerick Tunnel

All of these accept cash and Eflow tags - no problem there!:D

The M6 Galway - Ballinasloe toll will accept Laser/Debit cards but not Credit Cards.

The M4 toll at Enfields will accept Credit Cards but not Debit Cards.

The Limerick Tunnel toll will not accept any cards at all.

Why aren't they the same across the board? I've had to learn the hard way - Have hopped into a car and headed off only to realise a certain toll won't accept a credit card and have had to divert before it. Once at the Limerick Tunnel a charming young man at the toll took absolute pleasure in informing me that they do not accept cards and never have. He then took me through a very slow 'IOU' application form all while cars were building up behind me.

Anyone else share this frustration?

goz83

A fleet of cars all being driven by motorists without their accepted payment method might solve the problem.

Jesus.

You were caught out more than once without having a bit of change on you? How did you manage that? Do you not always have a couple of Euro on your person?

Can't imagine that happening to most people. Quite strange

pred racer

Jesus. wrote: »

You were caught out more than once without having a bit of change on you? How did you manage that? Do you not always have a couple of Euro on your person?

Can't imagine that happening to most people. Quite strange

I would very rarely have cash on me.
If the tool booth doesnt read my tag, then whatever payment the get it wont be cash!
now having said that I would always have both my credit and debit cards on me.

ironclaw

The issue is the banking sector and the fee's associated with taking card payments. Low level payments (Like under €10) attract a massive percentage and fee on top of it. Its why many retailers have a minimum set, so in the defence of the toll bridges its not exactly their fault. They would probably be making a loss on each 'card' car and as we move towards a cash-less society, the issue would get worse.

I always have some cash in the car anyway, even €10 stuck in the glove box. Handy for such situations or if you forget the wallet and need some fuel.

Jesus.

pred racer wrote: »

I would very rarely have cash on me.

Yeah but at least you have a Tag

tf2

Jesus. wrote: »

You were caught out more than once without having a bit of change on you? How did you manage that? Do you not always have a couple of Euro on your person?

Can't imagine that happening to most people. Quite strange

It has happened before - I'm only human. Pretty sure I won't be the last.

Paying isn't the issue. I think it should be uniform at every toll bridge.

Bpmull

I agree it would be handy to have a range of payment options at all tolls. I always have at least 4-5 euro in change in one of them old type ash trays that sit into the cup holders. I use to leave notes in the car but would inevitably spend them on something and not replace them. But looking forward it would be no harm to have a 20 quid note left in the car handy if you forget you wallet and need fuel too as someone said.

Jesus.

tf2 wrote: »

It has happened before - I'm only human. Pretty sure I won't be the last. Paying isn't the issue. I think it should be uniform at every toll bridge.

Fair point mate

FobleAsNuck

when I didn't have any cash when traveling via Limerick Tunnel I was given an option to pay by card within 7 days
today I was told that they are accepting the cards now

nick240v

I now have a tag as I've worked over in Eire for prob last 15 years or so (nice one on these motorways at last by the way - I remember the old days of almost a day to do Dublin to Limerick:)

I've also wondered as sometimes before I got my tag I could use card, other times I scrabble around for euro as they couldn't accept cards - but I did once pay in sterling as I'd cocked up and had no euro's left on me - the lady was ace and just said that's ok my love, took it and on I went.

CiniO

tf2 wrote: »

Once at the Limerick Tunnel a charming young man at the toll took absolute pleasure in informing me that they do not accept cards and never have. He then took me through a very slow 'IOU' application form all while cars were building up behind me.

Anyone else share this frustration?

Yes, had exactly the same... Line of cars building behind be beeping on the gates in Limerick while I was filling a form man gave me with all my details for payment within next day over the phone...
Took about 5 minutes. People behind me were going crazy, after few overtook me and showed me the finger, like it was my fault.

Jesus.

CiniO wrote: »

People behind me were going crazy, after few overtook me and showed me the finger, like it was my fault.

It kind of was mate. At least partially

CiniO

Jesus. wrote: »

It kind of was mate. At least partially

No way I could predict they won't accept card payment, so I don't see even 1% of my fault...

Aint Eazy Being Cheezy

CiniO wrote: »

No way I could predict they won't accept card payment, so I don't see even 1% of my fault...

24.73% your fault, by my precise calculations.

Jesus.

CiniO wrote: »

No way I could predict they won't accept card payment, so I don't see even 1% of my fault...

C'mon Cinio, cut the bullsh1t. You're driving the Motorways with no Tag and you don't even have a couple of Euro on you? How many people travel with zero cash on them? Not even a bit of change?

I never even knew the Tolls took any credit cards before this thread opened! If I rolled up to one without a Tag or change and they didn't take credit cards then I'd be a bit embarrassed by all the cars tailing up behind me.

A little bit of commonsense Cinio lad

CiniO

Jesus. wrote: »

C'mon Cinio, cut the bullsh1t. You're driving the Motorways with no Tag and you don't even have a couple of Euro on you? How many people travel with zero cash on them? Not even a bit of change?

I never even knew the Tolls took any credit cards before this thread opened! If I rolled up to one without a Tag or change and they didn't take credit cards then I'd be a bit embarrassed by all the cars tailing up behind me.

A little bit of commonsense Cinio lad

Sorry but travelled all over Europe, paid for motorways in variety of countries and never encountered a place you couldn't pay with a card.
Limerick was first one, and there was no way I could expect they won't accept card payments.

Supergurrier

I'd never even venture onto a motorway w/o change regardless

tf2

Having used other tolls that accept cards as payment one would expect that the Limerick Tunnel would too. There is no indication whatsoever that it is any different. That's how I got caught there. Really got a sense that the man at the booth took enjoyment out of it too.

GerardKeating

tf2 wrote: »

The M6 Galway - Ballinasloe toll will accept Laser/Debit cards but not Credit Cards.

The M6 does accept credit cards, I regularly use one since it opened.

chickenlicken2

Same happened to me. Completely forgot I had no cash and they wouldn't take visa debit. I've always had bags of 20c in the car but had cleaned it and moved them. Not the end of the world, it happens. Lady was exceptionally nice, took my details and I paid the following day on return.
I had 2 cars behind me one of which was continually beeping. It's my pet peeve, how is it going to speed matters up like.
I had my hazards on from before they joined the lane I was in. it was probably 3 to 5 mins in total for the transaction. Yeah, it's annoying but If time is that precious why not either get a tag or pay in the coin basket lane.

markpb

Jesus. wrote: »

C'mon Cinio, cut the bullsh1t. You're driving the Motorways with no Tag and you don't even have a couple of Euro on you? How many people travel with zero cash on them? Not even a bit of change?

Some people don't carry cash. It would never occur to me that a toll in Ireland wouldn't take either debit or credit card - that's a special kind of awkward right there. How on earth was this allowed by the NRA - the contract was awarded in 2009, not 1989.

tf2

GerardKeating wrote: »

The M6 does accept credit cards, I regularly use one since it opened.

The M6 at Enfield: Visa Debit/Laser cards they won't take. They do accept credit cards.
The M6 at Ballinasloe: Visa or Mastercard credit cards etc they won't take. They do accept Debit/Laser cards.

That's from my own observation.

Jesus.

markpb wrote: »

Some people don't carry cash..

Well that's what happens when you don't

CiniO

Jesus. wrote: »

Well that's what happens when you don't

Only in Limerick though.

Only place in Europe you can't pay for your motorway with card.

Jesus.

I have to admit, its a new one on me that people go about their day to day business without so much as 2 or 3 Euro on them.

Perhaps I'm just behind the times Cinio

tf2

And what happens when someone goes to pay with their Apple Watch? Perish the thought!

Jesus.

tf2 wrote: »

And what happens when someone goes to pay with their Apple Watch? Perish the thought!

Their what?

GSBellew

Jesus. wrote: »

I have to admit, its a new one on me that people go about their day to day business without so much as 2 or 3 Euro on them.

Perhaps I'm just behind the times Cinio

I regularly have little to no cash on me, I don't think it's too uncommon.

I don't understand why barrier free tolling has not been rolled out nationwide by now though.

markpb

GSBellew wrote: »

I don't understand why barrier free tolling has not been rolled out nationwide by now though.

Mainly because it's incredibly expensive to install and far more expensive to operate. IIRC the M50 barrier free tolling cost €29m to install. It's prohibitively expensive in all but the busiest of locations.

ironclaw

markpb wrote: »

Mainly because it's incredibly expensive to install and far more expensive to operate. IIRC the M50 barrier free tolling cost €29m to install. It's prohibitively expensive in all but the busiest of locations.

It cost €29 million to install some gantries, some ANPR cameras and link it to a database? Someone was laughing all the way to the bank with that one.

The price of such systems has plummeted in recent times and to say barrier free is not possible in this day and age is nonsense.

GerardKeating

tf2 wrote: »

The M6 at Enfield: Visa Debit/Laser cards they won't take. They do accept credit cards.
The M6 at Ballinasloe: Visa or Mastercard credit cards etc they won't take. They do accept Debit/Laser cards.

That's from my own observation.

The M6 (Ballinasloe) does take my credit cards, even some prepaid cards. Never bother to try a debit card.

The M4 (Enfield) does not authorised credit card transactions in real time, they seem to batch process them overnight, which is not permitted with debit card. They seem to maintain a blacklist of cards which stung them in the past, as form of fraud control.

tf2

GerardKeating wrote: »

The M6 (Ballinasloe) does take my credit cards, even some prepaid cards. Never bother to try a debit card.

The M4 (Enfield) does not authorised credit card transactions in real time, they seem to batch process them overnight, which is not permitted with debit card. They seem to maintain a blacklist of cards which stung them in the past, as form of fraud control.

I'm travelling through both toll bridges tomorrow again - I'll ask at the cashier. But definitely 100% I was told credit cards (including my Irish Visa credit card) wasn't accepted and I had to start digging around for loose change.

GerardKeating

tf2 wrote: »

I'm travelling through both toll bridges tomorrow again - I'll ask at the cashier. But definitely 100% I was told credit cards (including my Irish Visa credit card) wasn't accepted and I had to start digging around for loose change.

Quoted from their web site.

Credit cards are accepted in all lanes. VISA, Mastercard, and some Debit Card are acceptable

ironclaw

Can I ask, do people prefer to pay by card or do they not carry cash? I'm not racing against the clock when I drive but certainly I'd rather have some loose change and throw it into a basket than wait to swipe and potentially PIN my card.

Carawaystick

CiniO wrote: »

Yes, had exactly the same... Line of cars building behind be beeping on the gates in Limerick while I was filling a form man gave me with all my details for payment within next day over the phone...

So you could pay them over the phone, by card, but not in person with the actual card.
jesus wept

runawaybishop

ironclaw wrote: »

The issue is the banking sector and the fee's associated with taking card payments. Low level payments (Like under €10) attract a massive percentage and fee on top of it. Its why many retailers have a minimum set, so in the defence of the toll bridges its not exactly their fault. They would probably be making a loss on each 'card' car and as we move towards a cash-less society, the issue would get worse.

I always have some cash in the car anyway, even €10 stuck in the glove box. Handy for such situations or if you forget the wallet and need some fuel.

Its against the terms of the terminal agreement to charge a minimum fee - but shops do it anyway.