Fuel costs ‘causing great problems’ for hauliers

HAULIERS were today beginning their annual conference amid deep concerns over spiralling diesel prices, penalty points and Dublin City Council’s controversial ban on lorries.

At the weekend summit, Noel Brett, the acting chief of the Road Safety Authority, will also tell delegates about tougher laws affecting the haulage industry.

But the rising cost of diesel is expected to dominate the conference, which is being organised by the Irish Road Haulage Association (IRHA).

IRHA spokesman Jimmy Quinn said: “This is an issue that has not gone away.

“There has been nothing done to alleviate this by the Government.

“The cost of fuel is causing great problems.”

Mr Brett will be addressing topics like the state of Irish roads, increased road haulage enforcement, and the introduction of digital tachographs, which log mileage and hours.

Delegates were also due to learn about the formation of the Road Safety Authority, which is charged by the Government with sorting out the country’s appalling road accident record.

Around 300 delegates representing all aspects of the industry are expected at the three-day conference at Sligo’s Clarion Hotel.

Speakers include Raymond O’Malley, chairman of Wexford-based Biogreen Energy Products, which makes fuel from vegetable oil.

The conference comes amid growing unhappiness over a plan by Dublin Council to ban lorries from the city centre during the daytime. The IRHA, which held a protest around Dublin Port earlier this month, is considering legal action against the council to rescind the proposed ban.

Other issues up for discussion include plans to make motorists pay to drive on roads.

Irish company Celtic Link Ferries is also using the conference to announce the start of a new Dublin-Liverpool shipping service on May 8.

The service to Merseyside will be sailing from the North Quay Extension in Dublin Port.