MOTORISTS ARE being overcharged at toll plazas across the country with only one of five operators reducing its prices in line with tolling bylaws, the National Roads Authority (NRA) has said.
The NRA said it had asked five toll companies who began operating pre-2010 to reduce their tolls in line with the 2010 consumer price index.
The authority said that its bylaws stated that if the consumer price index fell for a 12-month period, toll operators were required to reduce their charges.
However, a “commercial disagreement” had emerged, with operators claiming a different interpretation of the bylaws with only one of five toll operators asked to reduce its charges for 2011 doing so.
The authority said it would now seek clarity through the courts.
“It is our position that as of January 2011, five tolling operators were required to lower their tolls to comply with the tolling bylaws . . . these are the M1-Dundalk, M4-Kilcock/Kinnegad, M6 Galway/Ballinasloe, M8-Fermoy and N25-Waterford city bypass.
“To date, only one toll operator, the M6 Galway/Ballinasloe, has lowered its tolls €1.90 to €1.80 for a car.”
The statement continued: “Those toll operators that have not reduced the toll rates have put forward a different interpretation of the toll bylaws. . . NRA is taking the necessary steps to obtain a definitive determination on this matter in the courts.”
Irish Drivers Association national chairman John Lernihan said: “We don’t agree with the tolls in the first place. . . I hope the NRA can get clarification of the matter as soon as possible.”
The authority said the routes not the subject of disagreement include the M3 Clonee-Kells, M7/M8 Portlaoise bypass, the Limerick Tunnel and M50 eFlow.