Truck drivers are calling for a more balanced approach to tolls on Irish roads.
The Irish Road Haulage Association (IRHA) is today meeting with Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) over the road toll increases that are due to come into force this summer.
It comes as new figures show a record of nearly €170 million was collected in toll charges on the M50 last year.
The Irish Road Haulage Association President Eugene Drennan has warned that many hauliers are leaving the sector due to the ‘astronomical’ costs they’re facing – and others are driving down smaller roads to avoid tolls.
He claimed a medium-sized business can expect to see their toll expenditure go up by more than one-third come the summer.
“It is quite an increase and the amount of money collected is very high,” he said.
M50
He said the tolls were only ever introduced on the understanding they would be lifted once a piece of infrastructure was paid for.
“We have already paid for the M50,” he said.
“That money and the promise given at the time of all of these tolls coming in was that when they were paid, they would be part of the infrastructure of Ireland and they would be free.
“They’re not free because they haven’t taken off the charge.”
'Balance'
He said the IRHA is not looking for the roads to be free – but wants to bring a “balance” to the manner in which tolls are charged.
“We, as the heaviest charged sector, must get some balance and some recognition for the huge amounts of money we do pay,” he said.
He also warned that the way the toll system is set up ensures that drivers are faced with big differences in charges depending on which part of the country they are coming from.
Discount
Mr Drennan said the original tolling contract also included a stipulation that heavy users would get a discount.
“The minister used for bringing in this increase was the fact of inflation,” he said. “That they are entitled to bring their contract to inflation.
“Within that same contract was an agreement that when it was initially brought into fruition - the tolls - that there would be a discount for multiple users.
“That discount was never allowed and it is part of the contract.”
