HGVs using West-Link up by 35% since city ban

The number of large lorries using the West-Link Toll Bridge on the M50 has increased by up to 35 per cent at rush hour since the introduction of the city centre ban on five-axle heavy goods vehicles (HGVs).

However, on the city streets, HGV numbers are down by up to 94 per cent in the same period, according to Dublin City Council.

Since February 19th, lorries with five axles or more have been banned from using the city centre to access Dublin Port.

The ban, which is in force from 7am to 7pm daily, encompasses an area between the Royal and Grand canals, as well as Sandymount, Ringsend and part of the Navan Road.

HGVs with business in the city can apply for a one-day permit to enter the cordon and make deliveries to businesses. However, all other five-axle HGVs must use the M50 and the Dublin Port Tunnel to access the port.

Traffic was brought to a standstill on all major routes to the city including the M50 and the M1 on the first day of the ban.

Volumes appeared to have eased since then, but up-to-date figures compiled by the council and National Toll Roads (NTR), the operators of West-Link, show that the number of large lorries using the M50 now is even higher than on the first day of the ban.

On February 19th, the number of HGVs with four axles or more (the NTR classification for five-axle HGVs) passing through West-Link was up 19 per cent for the same day on the previous week.

HGV traffic was heaviest at the morning rush hour times between 8am and 9am, when volumes were up 30 per cent and 29 per cent respectively.

On February 26th, the most recent day for which figures are available, the number of HGVs using West-Link had increased.

The daily total was up 22 per cent on the pre-ban figure, while at 8am the numbers of HGVs were up 35 per cent and at 9am they were up 29.6 per cent on the same time two weeks previously.

The number of five-axle HGVs has fallen by as much as 94 per cent since the introduction of the ban.

The reduction in five-axle HGV numbers is most evident on the quays and on the traditional routes to the port. The number of five-axle lorries using the East Wall Road to leave the port has fallen by 94 per cent since the introduction of the ban, while the number using it to reach the port is down by 90 per cent.

The impact is slightly less dramatic but still significant on the old southside access route of Seán Moore Road, where the number of HGVs is down by 82 per cent in both directions since the introduction of the ban.

On the congested city quays, the most substantial benefit can be seen on Essex Quay, which has seen a reduction of 93 per cent in the numbers of HGVs travelling from the port, while on the opposite side of the river on Arran Quay, there has been a 91 per cent reduction on five-axle HGVs heading towards the port.

The port tunnel has also seen an increase in HGVs, with 4,767 five-axle lorries using the tunnel on the first day of the ban up to 5,319 on February 28th.

In total, 11,038 vehicles used the tunnel on that day, indicating that five-axle HGVs now account for almost 50 per cent of all vehicles using the tunnel.

Other vehicles in the tunnel included 3,314 smaller lorries and 2,405 cars.