The Minister of State for Transport has said the Government cannot commit to abolishing tolls on the M50′s West-Link bridge when the State’s purchase of it is paid for in 12 years time.

Officials say they are pleased with how the new electronic tolling system, which went live at midnight, is performing.

Traffic is reported to be moving freely through the notorious bottleneck that was the plaza, where demolition work is already underway.

The National Roads Authority says the new toll system has processed toll payments for up to 80,000 vehicles since it went live.

While there have been some minor glitches, the authority says there have been no major failures with the technology or customer management systems.

Meanwhile, NRA Chief Executive Fred Barry defended the complex toll pricing and charging system, saying competition had led to a better choice for the public.

Barrier free tolling operational

Barrier free tolling on the M50 became operational after the system was activated just after midnight.

Motorists can no longer pay at the toll plaza for using the section of road between Junctions 6 and 7.

Vehicles will instead pass at the normal speed limit under a gantry, which will collect their tolls electronically.

Motorists must either carry an electronic tag, pre-register to pay automatically, or post-pay the following day in order to avoid penalties.

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