Motorway tolls are going up for drivers across the country from next month.
The M50 and eight other routes will see an increase from July 1st.
The M50 toll is going up by 30 cents for a car without an account, while there will be no increase at the Dublin Port Tunnel.
New M50 tolls. Source: TIITransport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) has said the increase is in line with inflation.
"The Governments six-month deferment of toll increases will conclude on June 30th and standard regulated toll in line with the inflationary increase will take effect on July 1st," TII has said in a statement.
"All tolls on the national road network are regulated through inflation (CPI) and cannot go above inflation," it added.
New motorway tolls. Source: TIIIncreases had been due to take effect in January, but were deferred after Government intervention.
Shane O'Donoghue, Editor of CompleteCar.ie, told The Hard Shoulder why the increases are being brought in.
"What it means is all tolls in the country, other than the Dublin Port Tunnel, are going to go up by a relatively modest amount," he said.
"It's linked to inflation and will depend on the different tolls, where they are and how much they increase by.
"We're seeing modest amounts when you look at them as single tolls".
Mr O'Donoghue said this money is being used for maintenance of the roads.
"At the end of all this, it's saying that they money goes towards upkeep of the roads themselves," he said.
"There's a lot of maintenance.
"In the statement from TII, it said the toll revenue is needed for toll collection, which I thought was kind of funny.
"Like everything else in the country there is inflation, so costs will have gone up in terms of the maintenance of the network".
'The M50 is paid for'
Eugene Drennan, President of the Irish Road Haulage Association, has said there needs to be more balance.
"Our tolls are going up between 50c and 60c each... it is a very large sum of money," he said.
"We're the essential supply line for the country, it is extra taxation on the people who never use the road - because when we're charged we have to pass some of it on at least.
"The Government was fair at the start of the year in holding back on it... but it's given by TII because of the inflation.
"Inflation has receded substantially and is on the way down.
"So they should either half the cost of the increase, or at the review in September... they should get rid of it again really.
"We'd like to see a bit of fairness and balance, and we're not seeing it in this".
Mr Drennan said there should be a new approach.
"The M50 is paid for, why are we paying in? The Eastlink Bridge is paid for, why are we paying for that?
"There should be balance or fairness brought into it somewhere," he added.
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