Limerick tunnel toll rip-off

Is it true that it actually costs 18c more to use the tag?..
if so thats unf*ckingbelievable..
only in ireland..

rubensni

seawolf145 wrote: »

Stop whining and get on with it.Its here to stay.
Other countries have had it for years.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toll_roads_in_Europe

Norway has a sixty-year experience in road tolling for financing bridges, tunnels and roads. Until the beginning of the 1980s contributions of tolls to the road building budget stagnated at about 5%, since then it has soared to more than 25% in 2000. Those twenty years were marked by the advance of road tolling in urban areas.

Other countries don't toll bypasses as charging to use a road that is designed and built for the specific purpose of getting traffic out of town is self-defeating.

The Waterford bypass (also tolled) has been a dismal failure since it opened with most traffic continuing to travel through the city.

Slane needs a bypass to facilitate the amount of vehicles (esp. HGVs) avoiding the tolls on the Drogheda bypass.

Omens are not good for Limerick tunnel.

DemoniK

Deleted User wrote: »

Is it true that it actually costs 18c more to use the tag?..
if so thats unf*ckingbelievable..
only in ireland..

It can do..
If you do a pre-paid tag from tolltag.ie they charge 10% per transaction, but you have 0 admin fee or minimum top up period - hence 18c.

If you go with a leased tag (again from tolltag.ie) they charge €1.21 flat rate per month as a charge - and you don't pay any other fees on the toll transaction.

Other tags may vary.

IMHO - if you plan to use the tunnel frequently get a leased tag - it's the cheapest. If you plan to use the tunnel intermittently (i.e. less than 10 times a month) then a pre-paid is better, or even best would be to put up with the time lost and pay toll direct. A pre-paid tag is useful however if you wish to use the express lanes on other routes - e.g. to Dublin Airport.
Just me 2c

RichieO

concussion wrote: »

There's no such thing as road tax.

Where do you live, a Borneo jungle or Antarctica??

And what's that expensive round bit of paper stuck on most cars windscreens?

jor el

RichieO wrote: »

Where do you live, a Borneo jungle or Antarctica??

And what's that expensive round bit of paper stuck on most cars windscreens?

That would be the motor tax disc. There is no road tax.

Deleted User wrote:

Is it true that it actually costs 18c more to use the tag?..
if so thats unf*ckingbelievable..
only in ireland..

On the tag issue, if you're using tolls any way frequently, then the tag makes things easier for you because you can go straight through the tolls without stopping. This comes at a cost, either fixed monthly, or 10% of toll. It's not just Ireland either, any country that operates such tag services will have a fee associated with them. So no, not only in Ireland.

thesimpsons

osarusan wrote: »

As I haven't been through the tunnel, can somebody tell me if you pay at the start or end of the tolled section?

all depends where coming from - if coming from Shannon area you pay before you go through tunnel, if coming from Dock Road, you pay after going through tunnel.

munstergirl

Used the tunnel twice in middle of afternoon, and i was the only car, both times, kinda freaky.

Amtmann

rubensni wrote: »

I hope you are right jonski, but I've a feeling that the tunnel will only be used by trucks keeping to a very tight schedule. The tunnel will cut approximately 5km off a journey from Raheen to the Airport, which is the same distance as is added to a Journey from Dublin to Newry on the N2/N52 as opposed to the M1 to avoid the toll there. The toll on the M1 is €6.10 for a HGV, a price not much higher than that for the Limerick tunnel, but as I pointed out Slane is filled with trucks going that route to avoid the toll (and it is a much longer journey time-wise to not use the M1 owing to the poorer state of the road and lack of dual-carriageway for most of it).

Commercial vehicles pay a higher toll but 60% of what they pay is tax deductable.

phog

Berty wrote: »

Dublin bus don't do change and have not for many years. Your refund is a piece of paper which you "CAN" go to their offices on O'Connel Street and "ASK" for your change.

It forced people to give the right change or not bother asking for the refund. So, if Dublin bus can do it for years then other companies will also be allowed.

Nonsense, you're not comparing like with like.

This is the first toll plaza in any country that I have encountered where there isn't an attendant in operation to provide receipts or change.

Twin-go

It looked like there was free north bound use of the Tunnel yesterday evening. Express lane was open but there was no barrier and my Tag didn't beep like it normally does. Not sure if this is still the case. But if you're going that could be worth it to try as use express lane.

lasno

phog wrote: »

Nonsense, you're not comparing like with like.

This is the first toll plaza in any country that I have encountered where there isn't an attendant in operation to provide receipts or change.

I have been through the Limerick tunnel on several occasions and there were manned booths at all times. Change and receipts readily available.

source

phog wrote: »

Nonsense, you're not comparing like with like.

This is the first toll plaza in any country that I have encountered where there isn't an attendant in operation to provide receipts or change.

Not true, the slip roads from Fermoy to the M8, have toll booths which are pretty much continually unmanned. You can only use the automated baskets on it.

phog

foinse wrote: »

Not true, the slip roads from Fermoy to the M8, have toll booths which are pretty much continually unmanned. You can only use the automated baskets on it.

So what happens the driver who pulls up at an unmanned barrier, hasn't got change, does that car block to route for all other users?

Say a non euro zone tourist arrives in Shannon, hires a car, heads off in towards Limerick, see sign for toll route, happy enough to continue because they have euro notes, arrives at toll plaza and it's not manned. What happens next? They have money and prepared to pay the toll but the toll cant accept their money.

Paul101

DaDumTish wrote: »

i think the question to ask yourself is this

1/ would i spend 3.60 or close to it going the long way round - on petrol

2/ do i value my time enough to want to save some of it ?

say you save 20 - 30 mins a day -
thats about two hours a week -
100 hours a year
- 4000 hours in a 40 year working life
= 166 days or nearly 6 months of your life saved .

at a cost of 30000 euro over 40 years.

30000 euro for 6 months of your life - is it worth it ?

Well said. It is amazing how upset people get over the charge to cross the short way and avoid all the traffic. I worked in Shannon for years and spent months of my life sitting in traffic. The new road is excellent, I did cratloe to the N69 in 4 minutes and I don't hink I broke the speed limit

Red Silurian

Paul101 wrote: »

I did cratloe to the N69 in 4 minutes and I don't hink I broke the speed limit

You may have been doing 81km/h in the tunnel but don't worry i wont tell lol

On the point about electronic tolling has nobody heard of the trip card?
http://www.limericktunnel.com/Download/TripCardRegistration.pdf
You can't use the tag lane and I think you have to go to a manned barrier but you get 10% off the charges which is pretty sweet

rubensni

Furet wrote: »

Commercial vehicles pay a higher toll but 60% of what they pay is tax deductable.

Tell it to the people of Slane: 1,600 trucks pass through the village each day, many avoiding those tax deductible tolls on the M1.

The Limerick tunnel should be made toll free for lorries and a HGV ban should then be implemented in the city similar to Dublin.

So long as a toll exists on the tunnel no ban of this type can be introduced as a toll-free alternative must be provided.

Paul101

phog wrote: »

So what happens the driver who pulls up at an unmanned barrier, hasn't got change, does that car block to route for all other users?

Say a non euro zone tourist arrives in Shannon, hires a car, heads off in towards Limerick, see sign for toll route, happy enough to continue because they have euro notes, arrives at toll plaza and it's not manned. What happens next? They have money and prepared to pay the toll but the toll cant accept their money.

Hi. I have been on the new N18 toll in all directions over the last week and there are manned booths on all sections. The main road seems to have 2 booths with people who give change and receipts, twl lanes for coin only and one extress lane that is for Toll tags only. All lanes have the EToll sign so I guess the tags work on all lanes also. The road down to caherdavin has one manned lane, one coin only and one tag only again with all 3 taking tags.

phog

Paul101 wrote: »

Hi. I have been on the new N18 toll in all directions over the last week and there are manned booths on all sections. The main road seems to have 2 booths with people who give change and receipts, twl lanes for coin only and one extress lane that is for Toll tags only. All lanes have the EToll sign so I guess the tags work on all lanes also. The road down to caherdavin has one manned lane, one coin only and one tag only again with all 3 taking tags.

Thank you and that has been my experience too but I was responding to two posters who have said they have found toll plazas with unmanned booths and questioning how vehicles that are coinless get through, I know I'd block the barrier if I was in that situation.

source

phog wrote: »

Thank you and that has been my experience too but I was responding to two posters who have said they have found toll plazas with unmanned booths and questioning how vehicles that are coinless get through, I know I'd block the barrier if I was in that situation.

Toll booths that are unmanned, i have only seen on slip roads, never at the main line toll booth.

If someone is heading towards a road that the know is tolled, and they don't have change then, in my mind, tough. Back in the day when car park pay machines didn't take notes what did you do?

You went and got change before you got your car back. simples.

The mainline toll booth, which tourists will wind up using will be manned 24/7. It's the clondrinagh toll booth that has been mentioned as being unmanned not the mainline.

Another point i'd like to make: the difference on the dock road at lunch time and in the evenings between 4 and 7pm is phenomenal. Where before you'd be stuck in traffic back as far as the first topaz, now you can just keep moving the whole way to the traffic lights it's great.

phog

foinse wrote: »

If someone is heading towards a road that the know is tolled, and they don't have change then, in my mind, tough. Back in the day when car park pay machines didn't take notes what did you do?

You went and got change before you got your car back. simples.

I've never seen advance notice that a toll road plaza may be unmanned and exact change is required. In fact on most roads you dont see the charges until it's too late to get off the road.

In your example and the example Berty gave about exact change there is an easy solution, go get change but on a toll road there is no exit near the barrier to allow you exit and get change, therefore, in my view the barriers should be manned 24X7 or a change machine provded.

As I say, if it happens to me I will block the barrier until someone comes to check what the matter is.

source

phog wrote: »

I've never seen advance notice that a toll road plaza may be unmanned and exact change is required. In fact on most roads you dont see the charges until it's too late to get off the road.

In your example and the example Berty gave about exact change there is an easy solution, go get change but on a toll road there is no exit near the barrier to allow you exit and get change, therefore, in my view the barriers should be manned 24X7 or a change machine provded.

As I say, if it happens to me I will block the barrier until someone comes to check what the matter is.

There are signs on every entrance to the new dual carriageway stating that it is a toll road. So there is plenty of opportunity to go get change if you don't have any. I really can't understand how people would be so unorganised that, when knowing they have to go through a toll booth, they would not go get change for said toll booth.

I was in France this time last year, I hired a car and drove from Rennes To Dieppe, the cost to me was approximately €20 in tolls. Before I travelled I knew where I was going to hit a toll booth (many of which were unmanned without notification) and how much it was going to cost me. If people are disorganised it is their fault for not having the correct change.

Again I will make the point that the only toll booths that I have seen unmanned are on slip roads into local areas which, 9 times out of 10, only locals would be travelling on. If people who travel the road a few times a week can't figure out that the toll booth isn't always manned, and don't bother having exact change, then as far as I'm concerned they deserve to get stuck. Mainline toll plaza's will always have at least 1 manned booth.

phog

foinse wrote: »

There are signs on every entrance to the new dual carriageway stating that it is a toll road. So there is plenty of opportunity to go get change if you don't have any. I really can't understand how people would be so unorganised that, when knowing they have to go through a toll booth, they would not go get change for said toll booth.

I was in France this time last year, I hired a car and drove from Rennes To Dieppe, the cost to me was approximately €20 in tolls. Before I travelled I knew where I was going to hit a toll booth (many of which were unmanned without notification) and how much it was going to cost me. If people are disorganised it is their fault for not having the correct change.

Again I will make the point that the only toll booths that I have seen unmanned are on slip roads into local areas which, 9 times out of 10, only locals would be travelling on. If people who travel the road a few times a week can't figure out that the toll booth isn't always manned, and don't bother having exact change, then as far as I'm concerned they deserve to get stuck. Mainline toll plaza's will always have at least 1 manned booth.

I've driven on tolled roads in Ireland, UK, France, Italy and the US and I've never encountered an unmanned toll plaza. Should an operator of a toll road decide to have only unmanned booths then I see it as their responsibility to have at least advance notice and or a change machine available.

I think we'll have to agree to disagree on the point.

steveon

phog wrote: »

I've never seen advance notice that a toll road plaza may be unmanned and exact change is required. In fact on most roads you dont see the charges until it's too late to get off the road.

In your example and the example Berty gave about exact change there is an easy solution, go get change but on a toll road there is no exit near the barrier to allow you exit and get change, therefore, in my view the barriers should be manned 24X7 or a change machine provded.

As I say, if it happens to me I will block the barrier until someone comes to check what the matter is.

I agree with you 100% if i use this road which is unhighly unlikely and there is no1 there to give me change then I too will block a lane until some1 comes and gives me change, it is legal tender for me to hand them a €20 note and expect change, I shouldnt and wont waste time going to a shop to get change then travel back to a tunnel if i dont have the correct change in the first place, whats the point in that I mite as well just go around it. I have never heard anything so riduclous as any1 stating that you should be organised and have it in the first place, why should you You might be running late and decide to use it when originally you werent...so I'm meant to carry around change on the off chance I mite use the tunnel. They are demanding a toll they should be providing the service that you are paying for..if they cant then remove it..simple as ..

And secondly nobody should leave any money...either hidden or otherwise in their cars....for any reason.

zuroph

agree that there should always be at least one manned booth.

Berty

I love the express lane because I wont have to put up with people scouring their purse for money, refusing to leave because the machine didn't give them back their 20c from their €2 coin. People throwing a €5 note into the basket and wondering why nothing is happening.

I have seen it all, although I still would not be surprised if somebody happened to be sitting there refusing to pay because they have some god given right to pass through unhindered because of their tax's or something.

I used the M8 Watergrasshill Toll around 2:30pm today. There were 3 cars in front of me and all 4 of us used the Express lane. A car behind me which was using me as a pace-car for around 40kms or so followed but the red x came up and the barrier came down.

I just about saw the look of dissapointment on his face as his stood on the brakes.

highlydebased

At 2.30am last night there were two manned booths on the mainline plaza. and the non-manned booth charged me 3.20 for a car. kjgksdhfghsdifhg

phog

Berty wrote: »

I love the express lane because I wont have to put up with people scouring their purse for money, refusing to leave because the machine didn't give them back their 20c from their €2 coin. People throwing a €5 note into the basket and wondering why nothing is happening.

I have seen it all, although I still would not be surprised if somebody happened to be sitting there refusing to pay because they have some god given right to pass through unhindered because of their tax's or something.

I used the M8 Watergrasshill Toll around 2:30pm today. There were 3 cars in front of me and all 4 of us used the Express lane. A car behind me which was using me as a pace-car for around 40kms or so followed but the red x came up and the barrier came down.

I just about saw the look of dissapointment on his face as his stood on the brakes.

I hate smugness, with respect to you it was not that long ago that you were out of work, were you to find yourself in a similar situation again and without the company toll tag would you find it acceptable that a toll plaza could operate a coin only lane or refuse to give refunds or receipts?

LB6

did you not reverse out of it and go over to the manned booth? - should have been fairly quiet at that hour of the morning

Berty

phog wrote: »

I hate smugness, with respect to you it was not that long ago that you were out of work, were you to find yourself in a similar situation again and without the company toll tag would you find it acceptable that a toll plaza could operate a coin only lane or refuse to give refunds or receipts?

Company Toll Tag? Never had one.

I was still using MY Toll tag travelling up and down to Dublin and Cork for interviews. I surprised people CANNOT READ THE MASSIVE SIGNS which are abundant on the way to the Plazas.

Why would I want a receipt anyway if I wasn't working? Who am I going to submit the receipt to? Social Welfare?

phog

Berty wrote: »

Company Toll Tag? Never had one.

I was still using MY Toll tag travelling up and down to Dublin and Cork for interviews. I surprised people CANNOT READ THE MASSIVE SIGNS which are abundant on the way to the Plazas.

Why would I want a receipt anyway if I wasn't working? Who am I going to submit the receipt to? Social Welfare?

Apologies but I thought you mentioned in this thread or another one on the toll road here in the forum or over on the infastructure forum that you had a company toll tag.

Re. Receipts, I was talking about any driver wishing to have a receipt, surely the toll company should be in a position to provide them if required?

What are the signs saying are they indicating that at times the plaza may be unmanned and exact coin is required? If not your point isn't valid.

Berty

When you approach the toll plazas there is a legend telling you what the logos/lights mean above each lane.

People are then getting in incorrect lanes and in the case of yesterday the guy followed me into the express lane.

knipex

Slightly off topic but twice in the last week I come into the express lane o the M7 to find someone stopped before the barrier, once my tag read the barrier open and off they go. Both times I still got through..

Berty

knipex wrote: »

Slightly off topic but twice in the last week I come into the express lane o the M7 to find someone stopped before the barrier, once my tag read the barrier open and off they go. Both times I still got through..

If the barrier ever comes down in front of you and they get through then ring up and get it credited back to you.

This happened to me once in Drogheda.

timbertime

I'm going off topic here lads and I apologise but seeing as ye're talking about tags what one would ye recommand? I've looked at tagcompare.ie and I still can't decide. It would be for fairly infrequent use. But i'm just sick of paying the m50 price of €3 in topaz! I'd use the m50, m7/m8 and the tunnel a max of 8 times a month i'd say.

steveon

Berty wrote: »

I love the express lane because I wont have to put up with people scouring their purse for money, refusing to leave because the machine didn't give them back their 20c from their €2 coin. People throwing a €5 note into the basket and wondering why nothing is happening.

If led to beleive that the tunnel will take an estimated 27,000 cars off the Limerick roads each day...if each gave €2.00 instead of €1.80 then the toll operator would make approx an extra €5,400 a day ....yes a day...

So why the hell shouldnt they pay to have some1 there to give some1 change, if they want it back....

The same company wouldnt allow you through if you only had €1.60 on you now would they..

phog

steveon wrote: »

If led to beleive that the tunnel will take an estimated 27,000 cars off the Limerick roads each day...if each gave €2.00 instead of €1.80 then the toll operator would make approx an extra €5,400 a day ....yes a day...

So why the hell shouldnt they pay to have some1 there to give some1 change, if they want it back....

The same company wouldnt allow you through if you only had €1.60 on you now would they..

You could also inlcude the errors where they are looking for €3.20 for a car instead of €1.80.

Agent_99

steveon wrote: »

If led to beleive that the tunnel will take an estimated 27,000 cars off the Limerick roads each day...if each gave €2.00 instead of €1.80 then the toll operator would make approx an extra €5,400 a day ....yes a day...

So why the hell shouldnt they pay to have some1 there to give some1 change, if they want it back....

The same company wouldnt allow you through if you only had €1.60 on you now would they..

Works the other way as well, I have been through the toll 9 times in the two weeks since it opened 8 times heading to Limerick once heading to shannon, using both the regular lanes and express lane have been charged only for 3 journeys on my TollTag so naturally I would recommend them.

phog

Agent_99 wrote: »

Works the other way as well, I have been through the toll 9 times in the two weeks since it opened 8 times heading to Limerick once heading to shannon, using both the regular lanes and express lane have been charged only for 3 journeys on my TollTag so naturally I would recommend them.

I'm a very infrequent user of the toll so I dont really see a great need at the moment for the TollTag especially as I seem to pay up front and keep it topped up, in one case actually the tag operator keeps €12 of your money, but yes, for anyone that drives for a living or will be using the tolls on a regular basis then the tag is a good choice to have.

jor el

Agent_99 wrote: »

Works the other way as well, I have been through the toll 9 times in the two weeks since it opened 8 times heading to Limerick once heading to shannon, using both the regular lanes and express lane have been charged only for 3 journeys on my TollTag so naturally I would recommend them.

The tag lanes are closed on it at the moment, was closed yesterday too. Must be an issue with it.

Liam Byrne

jor el wrote: »

The tag lanes are closed on it at the moment, was closed yesterday too. Must be an issue with it.

It's not the only lane there's an issue with. Between last week's attempt to charge me €3.20, and today's situation where the barrier refused to rise, the tunnel is more hassle than it's worth, negating any time saving.

I came home via the Condell and Dock Roads and back onto the bypass from there, and it was only about 6 mins longer and saved me at least €1.20, even allowing for petrol use.

knipex

steveon wrote: »

If led to beleive that the tunnel will take an estimated 27,000 cars off the Limerick roads each day...if each gave €2.00 instead of €1.80 then the toll operator would make approx an extra €5,400 a day ....yes a day...

So why the hell shouldnt they pay to have some1 there to give some1 change, if they want it back....

The same company wouldnt allow you through if you only had €1.60 on you now would they..

If they want change just go to the manned teller booth and not the automatic ones.

Why is that so hard ?

It works in every other toll bridge in the country why is it so hard for people here ?

The other option is don't use the tunnel.

zuroph

knipex wrote: »

If they want change just go to the manned teller booth and not the automatic ones.

Why is that so hard ?

It works in every other toll bridge in the country why is it so hard for people here ?

The other option is don't use the tunnel.

its emerged that at some times there is no manned booths.

Itsdacraic

Was the tunnel closed for a period last week?

thesimpsons

apparently it was an oversized vehicle which tried to go through !!!!!!! just heard it on the radio this morning when they were discussing teething problems with the tags.

Azphyxi8

That's happened twice since it opened.

thesimpsons

colmtheperson wrote: »

On the point about electronic tolling has nobody heard of the trip card?
http://www.limericktunnel.com/Download/TripCardRegistration.pdf
You can't use the tag lane and I think you have to go to a manned barrier but you get 10% off the charges which is pretty sweet

has anyone got one of these yet - I'm guessing its kinda like a Dunnes giftcard, so much is credited to the card and it reduces down on useage. Going to head over to the office tomorrow and see if I can get one.

knipex

zuroph wrote: »

its emerged that at some times there is no manned booths.

I have been through the toll many times at all hours (as I have through a number of other toll plaza's) and never met one without at least one manned booth.

springwell7616

Wouldn't encourage the feckers, what do we pay road tax for???

concussion

No one in Ireland pays road tax.

zuroph

knipex wrote: »

I have been through the toll many times at all hours (as I have through a number of other toll plaza's) and never met one without at least one manned booth.

others on this thread have.