Sir, – As a retired Dublin Port operations man, I was keenly interested in the planned infrastructure expansion in Poolbeg. The 3.1 million juggernauts envisaged to flow through annually, approx 9,000 per day, will create a huge traffic burden on northside Dublin. It is not clear how this 300 per cent HGV increase is to exit and access the port, presently served by a very restricted port tunnel. The HGVs which are incompatible with the tunnel design, or are safety excluded, flow via Malahide Road/Northern cross/N32/M1.
The tunnel closes frequently for maintenance and from disruptions. These 48-tonne rigs are forced through this largely residential route that is not built for 32-tonne stress, never mind 48. Vast new housing construction extends out to Malahide. Given the limitations of the tunnel, how is this traffic to access/exit the city, beyond the proposed internal port access bridge? Proper planning to impose necessary population protections are prerequisites before this expansion can proceed. – Yours, etc,
WILLIAM KELLY ,
Dublin 5.