A judge imposed fines totalling €133,000 on 11 motorists who ignored court prosecutions despite thousands of warning letters for repeatedly avoiding payment of M50 tolls.
Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), the State agency dealing with road and public transport infrastructure, summonsed them to appear at Dublin District Court on Monday.
However, they did not attend their hearings, which went ahead in their absence, and Judge Anthony Halpin handed out fines ranging from €6,000 to €15,000.
Ten faced five sample counts, and the other defendant had three counts for unpaid tolls in 2021. Nine involved regular private cars, while two used larger goods vehicles.
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TII also revealed each motorist’s overall track record of unpaid charges and the number of warning letters sent before court proceedings commenced.
TII sent hundreds of warning letters to most defendants before bringing the court prosecutions, which can carry a potential custodial sentence.
A goods vehicle owner had a record of 612 journeys and just ten payments even though he had been sent more than 1,000 letters.
TII obtained certificates detailing the registered owners of the vehicles as well as the images of them passing the toll gantry on the M50 on specific dates.
On top of the fines, the judge ordered vehicle owners to pay €350 in prosecution costs within six months.
