Five-axle ban comes into effect in Dublin city centre

A ban on heavy goods vehicles in Dublin city centre has taken effect this morning.

From 7am to 7pm seven days a week, trucks with five axles or more will now have to use the port tunnel and the M50 instead.

There are fears that this may cause chaos for commuters, as around 2,000 trucks are forced onto the M50 to access other parts of the country.

Jimmy Quinn of the Irish Road Haulage Association said: "The notion that vehicles coming up the N11 from Arklow, Wicklow, Bray and Leopardstown have to do the entire loop of the M50 and cross the toll-bridge twice to access the container depot in south bank quay is just plainly asinine.

"We have no problem with the general principle that there should be no vehicles in the city unless they have business in there but we've gone about this in a very ham-fisted way," he said.