Britain has served its separation notice and talks over the divorce terms start soon. An all-island

French shopkeepers, police, unionists and farmers will today join hauliers in calling for the northern section of the migrant camp at Calais to be demolished.

The Irish Road Haulage Association is calling on the Government to take action, following yesterday's chaos at Calais port in France.

THE Road Haulage Association must know that everything is taxed, so why do they think they should be exempt, when they do not have to pay to use the roads? (Letters, Dec 21).

Hauliers attending this weekend’s Annual Conference of the Irish Road Haulage Association will vote on a motion to withdraw their services in protest at the Government’s failure to address the impact of rising fuel costs on their business.

THE Irish Road Haulage Association is satisfied that the vast majority of hauliers on Irish roads are compliant with legislation governing vehicle safety, drivers’ hours and overloading.

IRISH haulage firm Nolan Transport — one of the biggest transport companies in Europe — has been refused an operating licence in Britain over its poor record on road safety after its vehicles and drivers clocked up more than 4,000 breaches of traffic and vehicle safety legislation in the past five years.

Ireland has been rated as one of the best performing countries in the EU for reducing road deaths since 2005.

Lobby groups and political parties were quick to criticise the Budget yesterday, claiming it had failed to provide for those in most need of financial assistance.

Jimmy Quinn of the Road Haulage Association has said the 5c per litre increase in petrol and diesel prices is an attack on truckers.

Irish hauliers have threatened protest action in the form of road blockades, to express their anger at the Government's 12% road tax increase and the budget increase in diesel.

The Road Haulage Association says it is appalled at the increase in motor tax.