THE MINISTER FOR Transport Leo Varadkar has lifted the toll on four roads for the month of November for heavy goods vehicles (HGVs).
He said he wants to see if it reduces the number of trucks using regional roads and going through villages to avoid tolls.
Varadkar said he was concerned about the number of HGVs that continue to use the local roads around the country to avoid the charges.
Toll prices
He said he could not say whether the trial will lead to any change in tolling policy in the future.
He argued that the heavy vehicles are doing damage to the local roads and are causing considerable traffic issues.
It was for these reasons he approached the National Roads Authority (NRA) to see if it was feasible to lift the tolls for heavy goods vehicles for one month as a trial.
Trial roads
“Based on the feedback I have received I have decided to go ahead with the toll free month on a number of routes: the M1, M3, M6 and Limerick Tunnel. By trying a toll free month on these routes I want to see if HGV operators can be persuaded to use the motorways more,” he said.
I think it is worthwhile to give us an opportunity to study traffic levels in detail and assess the implications and for HGV operators to evaluate the time and efficiency benefits of using these motorways.
He said the M1 outside Drogheda is a good example of where large numbers of HGVs avoid the toll by passing through Slane, which he said was “hugely inconvenient” to both the truck drivers and local residents.
“The M3 motorway from Dublin to Kells, the M6 from Ballinasloe to Galway and the Limerick tunnel are also good examples, with large numbers of trucks using the older roads nearby to avoid the tolls,” he added.
Varadkar said that the tolls on the roads are built into the PPP financing arrangements “that enabled the high quality motorway network to be built,” stating that any change to the tolls would have a significant implications and the costs would have to be evaluated.
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