M50 Toll Income Soars 12% to €212 Million Amid Traffic Surge

UPDATE: Toll income on the M50, Ireland’s busiest road, surged an astonishing 12% in 2024, totaling €212 million. This sharp increase is attributed to rising toll charges and a significant boost in traffic volumes, according to the newly released annual report by Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII).

The €212 million in toll revenue marks a striking €22 million increase from the €190 million recorded in 2023, showcasing the road’s growing financial importance. This rise follows an inflation-linked toll increase that took effect in 2024, where charges for vehicles without tags increased by 20 cents, bringing the total to €3.70. Vehicles with video accounts also saw their fees rise to €3.10, while those using tags now pay €2.50.

This year has seen an overall toll income increase of €39.4 million from the €172.4 million collected in 2022. The M50 is the most heavily trafficked road in the country, with nearly 150,000 vehicles traversing its sections daily. Last year, vehicles traveled a staggering 1.7 billion kilometers on the M50, reflecting a 2% rise compared to 2023.

In a joint statement, TII chairman Gareth Llewellyn and CEO Peter Walsh highlighted the significance of the road network, indicating that the 68.4 million toll transactions across the national roads generated a value of €240 million for the State. They noted that more than 2 million motorists utilize the M50 and Dublin Tunnel toll roads annually, with continuing growth in traffic expected into 2025.

The report indicates that the Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT) on the M50 reached 158,733 trips, a near 2% increase from 2023’s average of 156,028 trips. Overall, approximately 58 million passages were recorded on the toll road last year, up from 57 million in the previous year.

The Dublin Port Tunnel also showed promising figures, with an AADT of 26,503, marking a 0.8% increase from the previous year’s 26,285. The tunnel generated approximately €32 million in toll income from 6.3 million passages, an impressive 18% growth from €27 million in 2023.

Operating costs for the M50, including toll collection and local authority rates, reached €58 million last year. TII’s total expenditure was €1.76 billion, encompassing €1.54 billion for the road network and €174 million for light rail and metro operations.

Moreover, patronage on the LUAS red and green lines climbed to approximately 54 million passenger journeys, up 12% from 2023. The report also revealed salary increases at TII, with CEO Peter Walsh‘s remuneration rising from €215,000 to €225,000, and overall salary costs growing from €24.25 million to €26.15 million.

As traffic volumes continue to rise, stakeholders will be closely monitoring the impact of these toll increases on motorists and the wider economy. Expect further updates as TII releases new forecasts and traffic data in the coming months.