[PR] Eflow.ie - information on M50 tolling regime

Stark · 29-08-2008 10:04PM

MYOB wrote: »

I would suspect its a private debt collection firm...

aka "Hired goons"

Our man in Havana · 29-08-2008 10:13PM

There is no such thing as a trans-European enforcement agency.

It is probably the same shower the Norwegians use. http://www.epcplc.com/

They have no legal powers. They are just hired goons that write scary letters using different colour inks.

Tarabuses · 30-08-2008 04:36PM

MYOB wrote: »

The state doesn't charge VAT on its services (it'd be pointless in admin terms - all the cash goes to the one source).

NTR operated the toll when VAT was added - by EU orders. NTR != the state.

Yes, but our state will be charging the same toll (at least) even though there is no VAT element:(

ardmacha · 30-08-2008 05:17PM

There is no such thing as a trans-European enforcement agency.

There isn't a trans-European enforcement agency.

There are two points here. Enforcement in this case is essentially a civil matter, even for Irish drivers. The Gardai will not come and arrest you for driving through this toll, but the private sector debt collectors will seek the money back from you. This is no different whether in the State or elsewhere.

The only difference for out of State vehicles is the question of whether they can identify the owner of the vehicle. Now, if they could not, they could not send you any notification of the outstanding toll, this would mean that a person from outside the State would be liable to have their car seized by debt collectors if they returned, without ever having received any correspondence!!

I believe that the registered owners of cars can be identified by competent authorities in other EU states. I am not a lawyer, but Council Framework Decision 2005/214/JHA, 24 February 2005, on the application of the principle of mutual recognition to financial penalties might well the the important factor here.

Once you know the name of the owner of the vehicle then these private sector people can take it from there. Certainly Dundalk council has been able to follow up any NI folks who have accumulated parking fines and UK registered cars are the largest part of any set of cars that might be passing by.

Our man in Havana · 30-08-2008 07:00PM

Only the suckers will pay up.

Private debt collectors cannot seize cars. Only authourised court officers can and only then if they have a warrant which will only be granted after a sucessful court case. And even then the owner has still has another 28 days to pay up. So a person cannot have their car seized without notification.

faceman · 30-08-2008 07:27PM

Drove through today (on my bike for free!) In-genius setup. No phone number clearly displayed for tourists and those unfamiliar with the new procedure.

ardmacha · 30-08-2008 07:59PM

Only the suckers will pay up.

If you have a somewhat tenous legal existence, then there is wriggle room. But a lot of people are driving around in a car bought with a loan, and with the prospect of seeking credit for other things. It is not worth screwing with your credit record for €3.

Our man in Havana · 30-08-2008 08:04PM

Again, Private Debt Collectors can't interfere with a credit record. They need a court order.

I can't in all honesty see them taking anyone to court. We should leave it 3 months for so and see how many they manage to track down and make pay. In fact I shall FOI the NRA in January and ask for the figures. Should make very interesting reading.

mobpd · 30-08-2008 09:12PM

Bond-007 wrote: »

Again, Private Debt Collectors can't interfere with a credit record. They need a court order.

I can't in all honesty see them taking anyone to court. We should leave it 3 months for so and see how many they manage to track down and make pay. In fact I shall FOI the NRA in January and ask for the figures. Should make very interesting reading.

Yes- I'm thinking of doing the same thing in a couple of weeks to see how many Penalty notices they have issued per day after the launch.
I drove through today and will wait to see if I get a letter....

ardmacha · 30-08-2008 09:19PM

It would be wrong if they took someone passing by once or twice to court, but on behalf of the rest of us one hopes that they will indeed do so for people taking the piss.

Our man in Havana · 30-08-2008 09:22PM

Time will tell.

steve-o · 31-08-2008 09:21AM

getz wrote: »

i will be coming off the ferry about 6am to drive down to south wicklow on holiday i can not see how i will be able to get a toll tag at that time in the morning i got in touch with eflow to say i will be on holiday and i have a uk reg no plate i was told every one has to pay . so its looks as if i will have to make sure my sat nav is up to date hope they dont move the toll barriers from before feb next year

If you are going from the ferry to Wicklow, why take the M50? You need a new sat-nav.

AlekSmart · 31-08-2008 12:45PM

Nice piece today from Shane Ross in the Sunday Indo.

Nothing sensational except for his very valid point concerning corporate accountability.
He recalls how he made a small purchase of 100 NTR shares to allow him to speak at that companys AGM.
He then quite tellingly makes a point about no such facility for protest,debate or any other form of dissent to be raised at the National Roads Authority`s AGM......(Seems they don`t do AGM`s at that level)

However the real eye watering stuff comes with the list of NRA Directors which he managed to extract from the Department of Transport and what an interesting list it is.....packed full of highly qualified transport and infrastructural professionals as well a a few Farmers,PR People and Hoteliers just to take the bad look off of it

The quote of the Day/Week/Month/Year just has to be the response to Mr Ross`s request for the CV`s of these Directors......

The Departmental Press Office responded....."We have NO public record of their backgrounds"

You could not write this stuff !!

Fair play to Shane Ross for his continuing interest in this sad,sorry and exceedingly anti-social little bit of scamming which to judge from the media coverage is only NOW being seen in its true light

"No PUBLIC record of their backgrounds".....I`ll bet that too could be said of the original gang of opportunists who planned the span of the Liffey Valley all those years ago :eek: :eek: :eek:

indigone · 05-12-2008 09:26PM

Two nuggets on eflow.....

When you pay them they take it off your most recent trips and leave you old one/s to accumulate fines!!!
Looks like an effort to maximise revenue

If you pay in a shop giving your reg ( with no registered account) but paying say 6 euro in advance so you don't get caught.
You get a receipt with an account.
BUT..
They don't necessarily use this account for payment ( a glitch apparently!! ) they charge you and may issue a fine . Which they MAY cancel when you show them you paid or maybe not!!!

adamski8 · 06-12-2008 05:27PM

anyone find eflow statements to be completely confusing as to what exactly you owe?!!!!! eg. previous balance 5euro, toll charges 15 euro, new balance 10 euro: so i take it i had 5 euro in my account so that is taken off what i owe but my new balance is 10euro, wait so old balance is taking about what i have extra and new is telling me what i owe!!!!! no explaination!

kleefarr · 07-12-2008 01:18PM

I will be making a trip through the toll in a few days, I'll be in a hire car though. Can I pay online for the trip in advance?

Our man in Havana · 07-12-2008 03:00PM

kleefarr wrote: »

I will be making a trip through the toll in a few days, I'll be in a hire car though. Can I pay online for the trip in advance?

Pay on-line after the event.

There is no mechanism to pay in advance.

kleefarr · 07-12-2008 03:36PM

Ok thanks. I saw something on there about the day after.

Special K · 02-11-2009 07:05PM

I know this is an old thread but I was googling for information, in response to the question: Yes you can pay in advance. My bf paid for one of my tolls & I also paid unknowingly. Then a couple of times later I forgot to pay so rang them up and explained I was late, and the lady said "oh it's grand, your account had already been credited with €3" so I presume it was the toll I paid unnecessariliy??

I have a question:
How much is it for an eflow tag for the year, or do you pay it monthly? I don't make that many trips through the toll but was wondering how many trips would make it worthwhile? It's hard to get black and white information on the website!!!!!!

philiph · 02-11-2009 07:39PM

Hi,

You should check out www.tagcompare.ie. there are multiple tag companies in the country and all tags are part of the national system so will work on all toll roads. In general, traditional tags require an 'account' with a monthly fee of approx 1 euro. There is one 'pay as you go' tag available (fess up: i work for them) which does not require a monthly account/creditcard etc.

tagcompare is run by the NRA, not by any individual company so you should get the 'warts and all' info there unvarnished.

On the M50, a tag is cheaper to use than paying in the shop, plus there is the convenience of not having to run about to pay before 8PM or worse still forgetting (expensive!)

Outside Dublin it is getting harder to get around without running into a toll, the Waterford bypass just opened, next year will be the Shannon Tunnel, then there are others coming, so a tag is probably worth the punt.

It's really up to you whether you think the extra you spend paying in a shop vs getting a tag works out better for you, but have fun!

/P

GerardKeating · 02-11-2009 08:21PM

philiph wrote: »

tagcompare is run by the NRA, not by any individual company so you should get the 'warts and all' info there unvarnished.

But the NRA is a toll company, they are eFlow..

ergo · 16-11-2009 09:50PM

quick question:

a friend of mine has a UK reg car - he intends to register it in Ireland shortly , get irish plates etc (he wasn't sure or a while if he was going back to UK or not)

anyway, he used the M50 twice (once in each direction) about 3 weeks ago and completely forgot to pay - now not so keen to stump up €90 with fines etc

have overseas registered cars been issued with fines and would there be any implications if the fine remains unpaid (if it has been issued) when this car is changed to Irish number plates?

Our man in Havana · 17-11-2009 01:08PM

have overseas registered cars been issued with fines and would there be any implications if the fine remains unpaid (if it has been issued) when this car is changed to Irish number plates?

None whatsoever.

[PR] Eflow.ie - information on M50 tolling regime

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