Irish have serious concerns over plans to limit trailer height
December 7, 2011
Serious concerns from a leading MEP over an EC plan to limit the height of trucks on Irish roads have been echoed by the Freight Transport Association Ireland (FTAI).
On Monday, MEP Jim Higgins highlighted the “detrimental environmental and congestion impacts” of plans to limit Ireland’s truck height of 4.65 metres to just 4 metres by 2014.
FTA Ireland Head of Policy Declan McKeon said: “Ireland’s exports rely on an efficient supply chain and restricting trailer heights would cause untold damage to its efforts to pull out of this period of recession.
“Our concerns have also been highlighted to the commissioners who, if they forge ahead with this ‘harmonisation at any cost’ approach, could cost industry dearly at a time when Ireland’s fragile economy is incredibly vulnerable.
“A one-size-fits-all approach to trailer heights across every European country simply won’t work. Different countries have different infrastructure parameters and the companies that operate commercial vehicles should be trusted to buy and use those trucks that work best for them.”
He added: “There needs to be an urgent and serious sanity check, which reflects the importance of this issue. After all, in the last 10 years alone the Irish logistics sector has invested in around 1,000 trailers exceeding four metres.”
Courtyesy of IFW
