The Dublin sheriff has seized 70 vehicles this year from motorists who have racked up large bills concerning the non-payment of M50 tolls.
The 70 vehicles seized during the first six months of the year represents a sharp increase on the seizure rate for 2020 when 44 cars were seized. Forty vehicles were seized by the sheriff in 2018.
The cars seized often include high-end luxury cars. Over the past number of years, examples of models seized from repeat M50-toll dodgers include Mercedes-Benz E Series, Audi A5, Audi A3 and BMW.
A spokesman for Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) said on Friday that the outstanding M50 bills where the sheriff seized vehicles this year ranged from €5,000 to €15,000.
Those bills have to be paid off before motorists can reclaim their cars.
“The seizing of cars is the final act in a series of opportunities for people to rectify the situation, but when a judgment is made that is it. Enforcement is about fairness for the 97.3 per cent of the people who abide by the rules and there is a process for owners to reclaim cars after agreements on payments are reached,” he said.
