The proposal is included in the measures put forward by the Local Government Efficiency Review Group report published by the Minister for Environment, Heritage & Local Government today. Those measures include a number of straightforward tax increases for motorists, such as a 60% increase in the cost of a driving licence, but by far the biggest concern is the notion of new toll booths on the country’s roads.
The AA says just one cent per litre added to the excise duty on petrol and diesel, it would raise more money for the State (about €25 million) than these proposed tolls.
In order to collect tolls on N-roads, the state would have to invest in the capital cost of installing toll booths, barriers and the toll collection system. This is extremely expensive and would be even more so on the N-road network than it is on Motorways that do not have side-roads. Diversion is already a serious problem caused by motorway tolls and this would be far worse on the N-road network.
The AA is also uncomfortable with the proposed increases in motor tax (for those who do not pay online) and in the cost of a driving licence.
“These have nothing to do with the efficiency of local government,” says director of policy Conor Faughnan. “They are just tax increases.”
