Fermoy meeting over rise in charges for toll roads

A meeting is to be held in Cork this week over proposed toll increases set to come into effect on January 1.

Most tolls are set to rise by 10c, Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) has confirmed, including the M8 Rathcormac to Fermoy toll, near Watergrasshill, as well as multiple other tolls on the Cork to Dublin road.

It comes amid ongoing anger over high fuel costs, with protests in Cork and across Ireland in April seeing hauliers and farmers blocking roads and the Whitegate oil refinery.

Aontu councillor Peter O’Donoghue has invited members of the public to a meeting on Wednesday about the proposed toll cost increases, at 8pm on Wednesday 4 November in Fermoy Community Youth Centre.

The President of the Irish Road Haulage Association (IRHA), Ger Hyland, described the decision to increase tolls as “tone deaf” given the mounting pressures facing the transport industry.

He said: “Our toll booths are profitable and make millions on the backs of motorists and hauliers.

“On the one hand, government is giving hauliers and ordinary motorists supports to keep their vehicles moving and another branch of government is increasing taxes on motorists and hauliers at a time when most transport operators are one toll away from bankruptcy.

“This toll increase will lead to higher supermarket prices, higher inflation and is just another tax on hard pressed motorists and Irish households. They will now pay more for bread, milk and eggs because we will have to pay more to deliver those items.” 

He said that transport operators “will not stand for this”, calling for the government to intervene and reverse the decision.

“This toll increase will be another nail in the coffin of Ireland’s haulage industry and will see more operators going under.”