Truck drivers say roadside hedging costing '€1,000 a week replacing mirrors'

Irish Road Haulage Association says drivers forced to veer across the white line to avoid damage 

 

Truck drivers are forking out €1,000 a week to replace vehicle mirrors damaged by roadside hedges, the Irish Road Haulage Association (IRHA) has claimed. 

The association has called on local authorities to consider truck and trailer heights which can be up to four metres high as overgrown hedgerows pose a danger for high-sided vehicles, IRHA president Ger Hyland said.

“When hedges encroach onto the road, truck drivers are often forced to veer across the white line in order to avoid damage to their vehicles and wing mirrors, creating a dangerous situation for all road users," Mr Hyland. said. 

"On average, a medium sized haulier is losing two mirrors a week on their truck fleet. That is a cost of €1,000 a week due to mismanagement of our roadside vegetation.”

Hedge-cutting is prohibited from March 1 to August 31 but there is an exemption in cases where overgrowth poses a road safety hazard. Mr Hyland said the IRHA is aware of the importance of hedgerows and biodiversity but said safety must be prioritised and called on local authorities to be more proactive when engaging with local landowners who border our rural roads network.

Last year, an Ipsos B&A survey of professional drivers, commissioned by the Road Safety Alliance, found that 75% of 620 HGV drivers surveyed reported overgrown roadside hedgerows to be challenging while driving.