M50: Almost €3m lost in unpaid tolls by NI drivers

[Lewis.]

I'd love to see the amount owed by Irish in Australia

Edit: Just checked and Sydney alone had $180million in unpaid tolls last year alone lol while collecting over a billion in paid tolls.

For reference its $2 - $4.50 a trip.

 

[garyo]

@gpaevo @Jonny
Bit of a daft question maybe, but where exactly do you mount your tag? I got one a while back but work plans changed a bit and find myself midlands and west more often these days, so haven't got around to mounting it.

I just remember being a little confused by the instructions at the time with reference to the black dotted part of the windscreen, more confusion if on a heated windscreen etc, and I have an irrational (yet proper!) fear of smashing into a barrier the first time I go to use it! Does it require the military precision that I'm telling myself it needs, or is it literally just a case of anywhere in the general vicinity of behind the rearview mirror will do rightly?!

 

[Jonny]

Mate I don’t mount it. I literally hold it up to the windscreen for both the M1 toll and M50 and it always works. Plus saves an ugly tag always being there

 

[Bryan]

M50 works on cameras that read the registration associated with the tag account does it not?

 

[gpaevo]

M50 works on cameras that read the registration associated with the tag account does it not?

Yes and no. M50 If you have a tag it beeps as you go under the camera gantry. If you don't have a tag they use ANPR.

Mine is mounted behind the rear view mirror so I can't see it. It's just below the black dotted part. It's a little nerve wracking ever you time I head down the to the barrier at 50+mph hoping it'll open lol. You get a beep before the barrier so it's all good.

 

[PeteM]

Yes and no. M50 If you have a tag it beeps as you go under the camera gantry. If you don't have a tag they use ANPR.

Mine is mounted behind the rear view mirror so I can't see it. It's just below the black dotted part. It's a little nerve wracking ever you time I head down the to the barrier at 50+mph hoping it'll open lol. You get a beep before the barrier so it's all good.

Think I have mine behind the black dotted bit on my windscreen and it works fine , must check.

 

[garyo]

M50 works on cameras that read the registration associated with the tag account does it not?

Sorry, I was more referring to the motorway barriers that the eflow tag works for as well.

Cheers for the info lads

 

[G N K]

The M50 had a barrier toll like the M1 . It was nicknamed the car park due to the fact you were sat there for so long

It's still a car park every friday afternoon.

I've a tag, just makes things alot easier and no messing at the toll with barriers.

 

[bill]

I was talking to the missus tonight and i was inform that she had paid the tolls each time we head down there. She said sure your a tube when it comes to remembering that sort of thing.
I wont get a night in the cells if stopped down South happy days.

 

[therock]

It's a pain in the hole. Anytime I've went on the next day to pay it didn't ever recognise my N.I plate.

Just paid the fines with the reference number on that instead when they roll in

 

[pizza85]

It's a pain in the hole. Anytime I've went on the next day to pay it didn't ever recognise my N.I plate.

Just paid the fines with the reference number on that instead when they roll in

It never recognises NI plates. Just throw the plate in, say its a car and pay what you owe before you get a fine. They're actually sound if you need to ring them too, I had a fine and couldn't pay it property so just went on the website and paid 2x tolls instead. Got another fine in for a larger amount, rang them up and they cancelled the new fine with no messing at all.

Can also give your reg as your "account" number, and prepay if you want e.g. go on the website and pay 5x/10x fines at once and just tip away through them. Handy if you ever forget!

 

[davegtcoupe]

Pre paid my toll still got a letter saying I hadn't payed emailed them a copy of their own receipt and never heard anything since. It's hit or miss lol

 

[FN2DAVE]

Used the M50 toll back last year, rang to pay, was told my is car not on the system, as it's an NI plate, the charge is sent to an English company who then contact me via letter for payment, was told it could be 3 months waiting on the letter, anyways I get the letter about 3 months later and pay it! Job jobbed

Fast forward to December 19 and February 20 I used the M50 once in each month, rang to pay , usual story car not on system! Wait on a letter.

Got a letter today dated 14/3/20 , I left for work about that date and only got by the house there today for a 30 min pit stop, open up the letter expecting 2 each way tolls to be payed, about £12ish

Yes 2 eachway tolls to pay and a penalty of £148 , in total it was £170 . So rang Eflow to see what is going on, explained the situation, and hes put it in for a review to get the £148 done away with, nice enough chap on the phone.
Hopefully hear back tomorrow or Saturday.

Told him straight out there not getting £148 penelty from me, I've no issue paying for the tolls but on the penalty they can do one!!
I'm only doing what I'm told, and that was to wait on the letter to pay the toll!!

Stupid system altogether so we'll See how it pans out

 

[gpaevo]

Just get a eflow tag if your using it that often. I got one years back after a fine. It's only €2 a month and reduces the M50 charge by €1. Direct debit and covers all tolls in South.

 

[pizza85]

Used the M50 toll back last year, rang to pay, was told my is car not on the system, as it's an NI plate, the charge is sent to an English company who then contact me via letter for payment, was told it could be 3 months waiting on the letter, anyways I get the letter about 3 months later and pay it! Job jobbed

Fast forward to December 19 and February 20 I used the M50 once in each month, rang to pay , usual story car not on system! Wait on a letter.

Got a letter today dated 14/3/20 , I left for work about that date and only got by the house there today for a 30 min pit stop, open up the letter expecting 2 each way tolls to be payed, about £12ish

Yes 2 eachway tolls to pay and a penalty of £148 , in total it was £170 . So rang Eflow to see what is going on, explained the situation, and hes put it in for a review to get the £148 done away with, nice enough chap on the phone.
Hopefully hear back tomorrow or Saturday.

Told him straight out there not getting £148 penelty from me, I've no issue paying for the tolls but on the penalty they can do one!!
I'm only doing what I'm told, and that was to wait on the letter to pay the toll!!

Stupid system altogether so we'll See how it pans out

Or go and do it on the website, it doesnt show up as you having a toll to pay but it pays it against your reg which is like an account number.
Also learned last year, you can call up and ask if you owe any tolls, but if you paid for say 10 at the start of the week and used it everyday then it would keep taking it off you as a sort of prepaid account. could be a handy way to do it.

 

[Gaz]

@FN2DAVE pay the basic toll and ignore the penalty. eFlow use the same debt collection process as the smart parking companies, essentially English based private firm with no legal powers in NI. Their intent is to scare you into paying with wordy legal looking letters and high fines. They’ll send a few and a few more and then give up.

 

[FN2DAVE]

@FN2DAVE pay the basic toll and ignore the penalty. eFlow use the same debt collection process as the smart parking companies, essentially English based private firm with no legal powers in NI. Their intent is to scare you into paying with wordy legal looking letters and high fines. They’ll send a few and a few more and then give up.

I've tried paying the basic toll but it's not letting me.
Letter looks just like the parking ones you get spouting all sorts,
The collection company (Euro Parking) are looking a bank transfer to pay it , no hope of that ,
I'll let Eflow themselves sort it out and get back to me .

 

[DWDarkWheels]

Yes, if I use it I pay for it.

However, they did try to fine me based on the below. A polite e-mail pointing out the poor imagery and my absence from the ROI on the date easily sorted that.

 

[FN2DAVE]

Used the M50 toll back last year, rang to pay, was told my is car not on the system, as it's an NI plate, the charge is sent to an English company who then contact me via letter for payment, was told it could be 3 months waiting on the letter, anyways I get the letter about 3 months later and pay it! Job jobbed

Fast forward to December 19 and February 20 I used the M50 once in each month, rang to pay , usual story car not on system! Wait on a letter.

Got a letter today dated 14/3/20 , I left for work about that date and only got by the house there today for a 30 min pit stop, open up the letter expecting 2 each way tolls to be payed, about £12ish

Yes 2 eachway tolls to pay and a penalty of £148 , in total it was £170 . So rang Eflow to see what is going on, explained the situation, and hes put it in for a review to get the £148 done away with, nice enough chap on the phone.
Hopefully hear back tomorrow or Saturday.

Told him straight out there not getting £148 penelty from me, I've no issue paying for the tolls but on the penalty they can do one!!
I'm only doing what I'm told, and that was to wait on the letter to pay the toll!!

Stupid system altogether so we'll See how it pans out

Eflow got back to me regarding the £170 payment total .
Ended up paying 2 tolls at the standard price and 2 tolls at an increased price, all in £30 to clear it .
Better than a boot in the balls that