The costly but convenient price of toll roads

Using the M4 toll road regularly could cost €35 a week. Photo: Getty

Eddie Cunningham

Like everything in life, there are two – if not more – sides to every story. And tolls are no exception.

Just like most people, I baulk at the prospect of now having to hand over €3.40 every time I use the M4 to the midlands, and €3.40 more on the way back. That’s nearly €7.

If I were using it regularly it could cost me €35 a week.

Most PAYE car owners would have to earn up to €70 a week before tax to cover that toll charge alone. That’s over €3,500 a year. Goodness me.

On the other side of the story lies the fact that without toll roads we could end up sleeping in our cars to get to work on time. I shudder to think what some of the old stretches of road would be like every morning and evening. They are bad enough as it is with just local traffic.

And as anyone who has taken the car to France will testify, toll road charges are steep and run into big numbers really quickly. But still, it rankles to have to pay so much in Ireland. Is it one of the great stealth taxes on motoring of our time?

You bet it is.