FTA Ireland has hit out at the proposed toll increases on routes across Northern Ireland saying that there is no justification for an increase on the motorway tolls. The organisation said that the increases will encourage drivers to avoid motorways.
Neil McDonnell, FTA Ireland General Manager said: “Toll increases for commercial users are entirely unnecessary and may prove counter-productive. Toll-road operators should be discussing with us ways to discourage motorway avoidance instead of putting up tolls further.”
Irish lorries using the roads in Northern Ireland are now required to pay a road toll of €13 (£10) per day, while UK-registered lorries are not. Truckers have also been told that they must pay toll increases on many of the State’s new motorways. For some routes – including the N4 Kinnegael–Kilcock motorway - the toll will rise by 10 cent to €7.10 for a four axle lorry.
Mr McDonnell added: “There has already been substantial evidence of avoidance of tolls by commercial traffic as demonstrated during the ‘toll holiday’ in November 2013. NRA traffic statistics show an increase in traffic density across the motorway network and improvements in the overall economy are giving the toll operators increased revenues already.”
FTA Ireland is appealing to operators not to increase tolls for commercial traffic, even where they are contractually permitted to do so as it believes such increases are likely to prove revenue-negative for them and increase the level of toll avoidance by commercial operators.