Vehicle height limits due to bridge strikes
There have been 1,200 bridge strikes in recent years, with one of the most recent in early December forcing stoppage of trains to and from Galway for an hour.
Roscommon-South Leitrim Independent TD Denis Naughten has warned that the ban on oversized heavy goods vehicles has huge implications for the agriculture sector, reducing capacity for live exports by one fifth, and fodder transport by one third, and it will increase vehicle movements on many substandard national secondary roads by as much as 70%.
He warned that the transport regulations will rule out carrying three rows of oversized round bales.
He said transport of an oversized load from Ross-lare to Ballinasloe involves getting seven permits from seven local authorities, and appealed to Leo Varadkar, the transport minister, to intervene.
Mr Varadkar confirmed that an abnormal load permit scheme is operated by local authorities, but it is not meant as an alternative to complying with existing vehicular requirements.
“Any attempt to undermine the intent of the scheme would result in those operators who are compliant with vehicle heights legislation being at a competitive disadvantage, while those that do not comply would benefit.”
He said he was aware of companies that say they can carry bales three-high because they have a lower trailer and have adjusted the wheels and tyres accordingly, having complied with the new legislation.
