Too late to reverse new vehicle height rules

Farmers have missed the boat on getting concessions to ease the impact of the maximum vehicle height of 4.65 metres (15 feet and three inches), which became a legal requirement on November 1, says Transport Minister Leo Varadkar.

He said the intention to introduce a 4.65m limit was announced in January, 2007, following public consultation. Due to representations from industry, it was agreed that a five-year derogation would apply to vehicles registered, licensed or in use prior to Nov 1, 2008.

This derogation (which expired on Oct 31 last) allowed vehicles operating at heights in excess of the new limits to be withdrawn from use in Ireland.

Mr Varadkar said the concer ns of the far ming industry have been raised only in the past number of weeks.

“Given the lead-in time that this height limit has had, extending the derogation would have the effect of penalising those operators who have adjusted their fleet to ensure compliance with this well flagged law, while rewarding those that did not.”

Farmer organisations have warned that the new load height restriction will add millions of euro to the cost of transporting fodder and other agri-produce.

According to IFA environment committee chairman Harold Kingston, the height limit is only 5.03m in the UK and other member states. “This proposed load height restriction could add an extra €300-€400 to every load of fodder transported in the country, and will result in increased numbers of loads of farm produce being transported on public roads. This will particularly hit farmers in the West of Ireland who are very dependent on hay and straw from tillage farmers in the east of the country every year and must be addressed immediately”.

But Mr Varadkar said it is more than six years since the 4.65m limit was announced, and the industry has had more than adequate time to accommodate themselves to the new limit.

Fine Gael TD for Kildare South, Martin Heydon, said: “It is very unfortunate that the farming organisations did not raise this matter with Minister Varadkar over the last number of years.

“While I accept that it is difficult to bring in an exemption to an existing law, I believe that there is a compelling case for exemption when it comes to fodder. Restricting the height of loads carrying hay and straw could mean hauliers having to transport one third less bales per load, thereby significant-ly increasing the overall cost per bale for the hard pressed farmers who are still trying to recover from the fodder crisis earlier this year.”