Hauliers hold toll bridge protest

Up to 70 heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) took part in a demonstration on the East Link Bridge in Dublin yesterday morning to protest against the Government's failure to waive the toll bridge fee for hauliers.

Traffic was disrupted for three hours, from 6.45am when the rolling protest began. Two convoys of 25 trucks circled the East Wall Road to North Wall Quay and Seán Moore Road to Pigeon House Road.

Commuters travelling from the southside experienced longer delays due to road works on the Rock Road, which exacerbated the protest.

The Irish Road Haulage Association had suggested that HGVs could pay the toll, of €4.30, on Seán Moore Road, and not be charged if they were coming from or going to South Bank Road and the port.

Jimmy Quinn, spokesman for the Irish Road Haulage Association, said that they were gravely upset at the failure of the Department of Transport to remove the toll from the East Link for hauliers.

"The previous junior transport minister, Ivor Callely, and his department pledged to support our industry by assuring the removal of the compulsory East-Link toll for members of the haulage industry as there is no alternative route available to all hauliers," he said.

"We were told that a deal had been done, now we understand that no advances were made to National Toll Roads on the issue."

Hauliers are also unhappy about Dublin City Council's recently published HGV Management Strategy, which restricts HGVs with five axles or more from entering the area between Dublin's Royal and Grand canals between 7am and 7pm.

"Local councillors in Dublin are making decisions that will affect hauliers on the west coast of Ireland.

"That is not right. All of the stakeholders are going to have to get their heads together and discuss how best to deal with HGVs in the city."

The IRHA has not ruled out further protests on both issues.

A spokesman for the Department of Transport said that that there is a contract between Dublin City Council and National Toll Roads in relation to the East Link that the department was "not a party to".

A spokesman for Dublin City Council said that they will hold a meeting next month with councillors to discuss the HGV Management Strategy.