Minister for Transport Shane Ross recently rejected a recommendation from the National Transport Authority (NTA) to add extra tolls on the M50.

In a report published this year on the transport infrastructure needs in the capital until 2035, the NTA said limiting the number of vehicles using the key orbital route was necessary "to ensure its strategic traffic function was maintained."

Chief among these "demand-management measures" was a series of additional tolling points on the M50.

The NTA said there are regular traffic delays even at the current traffic levels.

They continued by saying "If these delays go unchecked it will negatively impact on economic competitiveness in the greater Dublin area and the wider national economy."

In response to these recommendations Minster Ross said "That is not a runner. I know the NTA has a view on that. The congestion on the M50 is of huge concern, but it has to be part of a much wider investment in roads on a long-term basis and get people out of their cars.

"We are not going to react in a short-term way."

Mr Ross pointed to the Luas cross-city line and how once completed it will help congestion on the M50. The Minister also said changes to M50 junction merges, a swifter response to clearing the 120 crashes and incidents on the route each month and the signposting of alternative routes had been introduced to ease traffic congestion.