18/11/2014

IRHA Threaten Further Road Blockades

The Irish Road Haulage Association (IRHA) said it will mount further blockades of ports and motorways if a plan to raise toll charges in January goes ahead.

Blockades were staged in October when around 500 trucks blocked access to Dublin Port and the Port Tunnel in protest over road tax.

The association claim that in Ireland heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) pay as much as €4,000 per year in road tax, whereas in the UK truckers are paying £640 (€823).

The IRHA also raised concerns over a new levy being introduce this week, which will see non-UK lorries charged €13 per day to use the roads in Northern Ireland and across the UK.

And it is understood there is a planned toll increase for HGVs on a number of roads across the State.

The IRHA said if the new higher tolls are introduced, truckers will "definitely" return to blockading roads and ports.

(MH/IT)

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