Toll charges to be increased to 'maximum level' in January

Toll charges on most toll roads around the country are set to increase to the maximum level allowed from 1 January 2023, it has been confirmed.

The price increases are linked to the current rate of inflation, which has increased by 8.6% between August 2021 and August 2022.

The tolls cannot be increased beyond this inflation rate.

Announcing the increases, TII said the new plans were necessary "due to the inflationary impact during 2022."

In total, there are 10 toll roads on the national road network.

Eight are operated under a Public Private Partnership (PPP) model with the M50 and Dublin Port Tunnel operated directly on behalf of Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII).

The Dublin Port Tunnel is the only route that will not be affected by price increases.

Transport Infrastructure Ireland said revenue is used for purposes including motorway maintenance, toll collection and operations, and for the maintenance of the wider national road network.

On the M1, M7, M8, N6, N25 at Waterford and N18 Limerick Tunnel, tolls for cars will increase from €2 to €2.10.

For buses and large goods vehicles (LGVs), prices will increase from €3.50 to €3.80. Hauliers wil see charges increase from €4.90 to €5.40 and €6.30 to €6.80 per journey, depending on the number of axles on their vehicle.

For the M3, car tolls will rise 10c to €1.60, while prices for buses and LGVs will rise from €2.30 to €2.40. Chargers for larger trucks will rise from €3 to €3.20 and from €3.70 to €4.

For the M4, car tolls will increase to €3.20 — up 20c. For buses and LGVs, tolls will go from €4.50 to €4.90. Larger trucks will see face increases from €6 to €6.50 and from €7.30 to €7.90, depending on vehicle size.

The State-owned M50, which is operated on behalf of (TII), will see its car tolls increase for tag users by 20c to €2.30.

Drivers with accounts captured on video passing through the barrier-free tolls will see fares rise from €2.70 to €2.90.

Unregistered cars will be charged €3.50 — an increase of 30 cents, up from €3.20.

Tagged goods vehicles weighing less than 2,000kg, and buses will be charged €3.20, up from €3.

Vehicles of this size caught on video will see fares increase by 30c to €3.80. Unregistered vehicles in this category will also be increased by 30c, from €4.10 to €4.40.

Dublin Tunnel is the only tolled road in the country that will not see charge increases.