This could be bad news for motorists.
Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) is considering introducing a new charge on motorists for using the country's national roads network, according to reports.
The Irish Daily Mail states that Ireland's Exchequer could face a shortfall of between €1.5 billion and €3 billion in lost revenue from fuel duty receipts and road tax. This is as more and more drivers make the move to using electric vehicles.
As such, the paper reports that the State's transport infrastructure body has been assigned to explore methods of dealing with this funding gap, while also identifying ways to slash harmful emissions from transport by 50% by the end of the decade.
Image via Sasko Lazarov/RollingNews.ie
Road usage charge could reportedly be introduced for Irish drivers.
The Irish Daily Mail says that Project Bruce - Bruce being short for 'better road using charging evaluation' - was established by TII to deal with these issues.
Distance-based pricing is said to be one of the options currently being explored. Under such pricing, it reportedly could cost up to
€38 to drive from Maynooth to Dublin and up to
€163 to drive from Cork to Dublin.
A Department of Transport spokesperson has said that five different options are being explored as part of Project Bruce, according to the paper, and is quoted as stating: "This is at a very early stage as significant traffic modelling work will be required."
JOE has reached out to TII and the Department of Transport for comment.
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