New M50 tolls fail to ease congestion and expose deeper pressure on Ireland’s freight network – Geotab data

• Commercial vehicle drivers spend at least 3.5 minutes more time per journey on the M50 in January 2026, compared with the same period last year.
• The analysis was conducted to assess the flow of traffic on the M50 YoY for the month of January following the introduction of 10c toll increases on Jan 1 this year.
• High-congestion journeys are at least 3 minutes longer, according to the data.
• The data shows idling increased compared to January 2025, with drivers spending an additional eight minutes stationary on average. 

Dublin, Ireland — 24th February, 2026 - New data from Geotab, a global leader in connected vehicle and asset management solutions, shows that January - the first month of increased tolls on the M50 motorway - delivered no measurable improvement in congestion, journey reliability or traffic flow for commercial drivers.

Analysis of thousands of anonymised long-haul commercial journeys compared the first month of the new toll regime with the same period in January 2025. The findings show that average journey times on the M50 were at least 3.5 minutes slower year-on-year, despite the same or lower overall traffic volumes. High-congestion journey times increased by at least  3 minutes.

Congestion has increased compared to January 2025 for almost every weekday – especially during morning (7:00–9:30) and evening (16:00–19:00) peak periods.

Peak hour travel times

Geotab’s data suggests that congestion is shifting across the week, rather than being reduced overall. During the morning peak, average journey times (compared with January 2025) were as follows:

• Monday: 53.2 minutes (+12.7 minutes)
• Tuesday: 53.1 minutes (- 7.9 minutes)
• Wednesday: 69.2 minutes (+18.4 minutes)
• Thursday: 51.3 minutes (+6.4 minutes)
• Friday: 26.4 minutes (+0.7 minutes)

In the evening peak, travel times have increased on most days:

• Monday: 43.6 minutes (+13.6 minutes)
• Tuesday: 69.7 minutes (+23.8 minutes)
• Wednesday: 57.5 minutes (+4.1 minutes)
• Thursday: 72.8 minutes (- 2.7 minutes)
• Friday: 48.0 minutes (+13.1 minutes)

While Thursday evening shows a slight reduction, overall journey times remain significantly higher than last year.

The off-peak period is also carrying a larger share of traffic, accounting for 74.64% of journeys in January 2026 compared with 66.48% in January 2025. High-congestion conditions have worsened on every day of the week. The data suggests that while toll adjustments have shifted some traffic out of the evening peak, this demand has moved into off-peak periods, which are now operating less efficiently than a year ago.

Key driver behaviour

Geotab’s analysis also examined key driver behaviour indicators, including harsh braking and idling at major junctions. Year-on-year data shows idling increased compared to January 2025, with drivers spending an additional eight minutes stationary on average. This indicates that delays are not attributable to a single chokepoint, but reflect widespread stop-start conditions across the entire route.

While the data shows a reduction in harsh braking events in January 2026, this trend, when viewed alongside longer journey times, suggests traffic flow remains constrained. The findings are consistent with a motorway network operating under sustained pressure, rather than one that has returned to free-flowing conditions.

The toll increase comes amid sustained pressure on Ireland’s logistics sector. The receivership of Fastway in late 2025 reduced delivery capacity, forcing remaining operators to absorb additional volume. Ongoing driver shortages and rising operating costs are further limiting fleet flexibility, reducing the scope for behavioural change in response to higher tolls.

“What we’re seeing is not demand disappearing, but demand being compressed,” said Phil Barnes, Business Development Manager for Geotab in Ireland and the UK.  “For commercial fleets, the M50 is not an optional route. Any inefficiency, incident, or increase in congestion has a direct and significant knock-on effect on supply chains across the entire country. Our data shows no meaningful improvement in journey times, with an average three-minute increase per trip. That may sound minor at first, but multiple journeys each day quickly translate into significant lost time for fleet operators.

 

If the policy is not delivering congestion relief, it is simply adding cost. While a 10-cent increase may appear marginal for an individual motorist, for fleets operating 10, 50 or 100-plus vehicles using the route daily, those increases compound rapidly. For operators already running at maximum efficiency and tight margins, that additional burden is significant. A viable solution is urgently needed.”