Judge fines 13 drivers €164k for ignoring slew of letters over unpaid M50 tolls

The court can impose fines of up to €5,000 per charge and a six-month sentence

The standard M50 toll for a private car, €3.20, has to be paid before 8pm the following day or there is a €3 penalty for missing the deadline. File picture Colin Keegan

Thirteen motorists have been hit with fines totalling €164,000 after they failed to appear in court and ignored reams of warning letters for repeatedly dodging M50 tolls.

Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), the State agency dealing with road and public transport infrastructure, prosecuted them at Dublin District Court on Monday. However, despite being summonsed, they did not attend the hearings which went ahead in their absence.