The M50 Toll - WTF

Luckily I don't live near it so I avoid it like the plague now. Any political party with any sense is going to have removal of the tolls in their manifesto at the next GE. Sure what's a few billion yoyos when we're giving the banks a few hundred billion?

somebody told me that the toll bridge was the legacy of an agreement between the govt and an investor in NTR years previously relating to a mine.

can't remember the details but it was all very shady.

it may be complete innuendo but given the shenanigans that even our minister for finance got up to in the 90's (never mind the 70s or 80s) maybe there's a grain of truth.

zakalwe wrote:

somebody told me that the toll bridge was the legacy of an agreement between the govt and an investor in NTR years previously relating to a mine.

can't remember the details but it was all very shady.

it may be complete innuendo but given the shenanigans that even our minister for finance got up to in the 90's (never mind the 70s or 80s) maybe there's a grain of truth.

From what I gather the story you outline it essentially what occured. I'm not so sure about the shady stuff (and we'll never be) but the case has been argued that the then government wasn't too au fait with the workings of motorway construction and the ramification of giving away the toll concession in return for funds to help build part of the motorway. I can well believe that it was incompetence that allowed the perpetual private toll to occur. I also believe the fella who controlled the toll became a billionaire. Just think about it. A few staff memebers and very little construction of the actual toll booths, and then everyday you get to collect tolls from thousands of motorists - 365 days a year. Nice. Can't get closer to printing you own currency if you tried.

Also, I believe this private-public infrastructure scheme isn't all that uncommon in other countries. It's just that such plum terms aren't usually handed over to the private side of the transaction.

Yes!!!

I used the M50 for a return trip it and did nothing just to see what would happen. After a week I got a letter telling me to pay 3€ for going one way through it. As I had come back again the same day, this is fairly cheap. Perhaps another letter for the other direction will come next week. The letter told me I was being let off the fine as I am only a beginner and don't know what the f. I am doing. Provided I pay. It didn't tell me how or where to pay.

I think I'll take the letter up to the service station next time I need a lottery ticket and see if they can take my 3 euro off me.

Well so far, so expensive. Each trip has cost me 3 €, a vast increase, and the e-flow site won't let me register "until I've paid". I have paid, but the payment obviously hasn't been notified to that part of the system.

I am now paying 3€ in advance at the service station. I suppose I have clocked up about 2 miles driving so far to pay the toll.

The traffic certainly is moving better.

Any other experiences, good or bad?

I crossed it a couple of weeks ago and found the lack of toll booth really disconcerting!! I felt lost and was suddenly at my exit. That is more my fault than the fault of the Government though .

johnfás wrote:

I crossed it a couple of weeks ago and found the lack of toll booth really disconcerting!! I felt lost and was suddenly at my exit. That is more my fault than the fault of the Government though .

I went to Carlingford the last Bank Holiday weekend and went over the place for the first time and it is quite odd without the toll booths. The road feels weirdly empty now.

Ard-Taoiseach wrote:

johnfás wrote:

I crossed it a couple of weeks ago and found the lack of toll booth really disconcerting!! I felt lost and was suddenly at my exit. That is more my fault than the fault of the Government though .

I went to Carlingford the last Bank Holiday weekend and went over the place for the first time and it is quite odd without the toll booths. The road feels weirdly empty now.

How did you pay, Ard T ?

We got one of the registration reading accounts on eflow... so we pay 2.50 per crossing or something like that. Don't think we pay any monthly charge but you had to deposit a balance with them.

My SU failed to pay for a double crossing last month and had to fork out 86 euro. Scoundrels the lot of them.

EvotingMachine0197 wrote:

My SU failed to pay for a double crossing last month and had to fork out 86 euro. Scoundrels the lot of them.

Ouch ouch ouch. At the end of the day, there is nothing for it to register at a minimum cost of ? a year, on top on the inflated toll cost, even if one only expects to use the M50 once or twice a year. That brings the toll cost potentially up to what? 10 yoyos a trip?