New toll system set to charge by length of journey

Motorists in Ireland could soon pay toll charges based on the length of their journey.

According to The Business Post, Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) is working on a new multi-point tolling system dubbed ‘Project Bruce’, or ‘Better Road User Charging Evaluation’.

This could involve charges of 70 cent for driving a section of the M50, rather than the current single toll of between €2.10 and €3.20, which is only paid by drivers passing over the former Westlink toll bridge over the Liffey.

Similar charges could be put on access routes to other national motorways which are currently toll-free, the report says.

It follows the government’s decision last week to defer planned toll increases across Ireland until July at a cost to the taxpayer of €12.5 million.