The collection of more than €5 million of M50 tolls was in doubt after the first eleven months of barrier-free tolling on the motorway, according to the annual report of the Comptroller and Auditor General.
The doubts around the €5.3 million in unpaid charges arose because users of the road had insufficient funds in their accounts (€0.7 million), vehicles from outside the State did not pay (€2.2 million), 700,000 tolls that were yet to be enforced on users of the road (€2 million) and charges yet to be recovered (€0.4 million).
The report notes that an agreement is now in place to pursue motorists from the North who failed to pay tolls. This group makes up the majority of the €2.2 million figure.
In the year to July 2009 a total of 32.8 million tolled journeys were taken on the motorway, an increase of 3.8 per cent on the previous year. The increase was attributed to the completion of some road works and the introduction of barrier free tolling.
The M50 generated a total of €90.3 million in the period examined. Of this, €79.1 million was generated through toll fees and €11.2 million through the collection of fines and penalties in the year to July 2009.
The operation of the road cost €25.5 million, while the State buy-out of the M50 amounted to €51.3 million. Construction and other costs amounted to €16.3 million, meaning the motorway recorded a deficit of €2.8 million for its first year under State ownership.
The report says the revenue collected in the post buy-out period was 17 per cent higher because of increased tariffs and traffic. Money generated by the M50 is retained by the National Roads Authority.
A total of 273,185 journeys were not expected to be paid for because of technical issues, while more than 484,000 journeys by ambulances, fire brigades and goods vehicles registered with South Dublin and Fingal County Councils were exempt from tolls.
