Road Haulage Industry ignored in election

The road haulage industry is a long way down the list priorities of our political parties if the recent general election is anything to go by.

Throughout the entire campaign little or no reference was made to the haulage industry or its problems, such as the spiralling cost of insurance, escalating diesel prices etc. etc.
Bertie Ahern had the ideal opportunity to sign post the importance of the sector when he attended the official "switching on ceremony" of the boring machine at the Dublin Port Tunnel. After all some 9,000 truckers will use the tunnel every day when it is officially opened in two years time.

Bertie unfortunately missed the opportunity to show his support for the beleaguered industry. That day he showed his true colours when he told locals that he was a resident of the area and was fed up with the thousands of trucks passing through "his" streets everyday.
The Fianna Fail leader was on his own turf. He was speaking to his constituents in the run-up to a general election. Votes were in the offing. Trucker bashing is always a good method of gaining the attention of the national media.

An ideal opportunity went begging. Bertie opted for the easy option of slagging of the dirty smelly truckers who are clogging up the streets of the capital every day of the week with their equally dirty smelly trucks.
"I live in the community and I'm sick to the teeth looking at thousands of trucks going through my community everyday, the heart of our city is being reclaimed for the people. It will take 9,000 trucks off the streets of Dublin every day, along with 2,500 cars, with substantial safety benefits due to the reduction in heavy goods vehicle traffic through Dublin city centre."

Shame on you Bertie! It isn't that long ago you were telling us that the haulage industry were the wheels of the Celtic Tiger and had a vital role to play in the economy. In recognition of that importance he set up a task force to sort out all our problems.

In what was a generally dull, boring and predictable general election our political parties missed the opportunity to highlight a number of important issues that badly impinge on the road haulage industry. They failed miserably. Road haulage just isn't a vote catching issue.

Now that the election is done and dusted the newly elected government (when they get back off their extended holidays) should address a number of vital issues that impact on the haulage industry and consequently on Ireland's competitiveness.



Insurance report must be implemented

The Motor Insurance Advisory Board's report into the insurance industry should be fully implemented as a matter of urgency and a personal Injuries Assessment Board should be established
with similar speed. The report stated that the Irish insurance industry is making profits at nine times the rate of their UK counterparts. These profits are being made at the expense of the professional
and private motorist alike.

The spiralling cost of insurance is the biggest single issue facing the industry at the moment. Within a matter of months countless hauliers will be forced to close their doors if the situation isn't addressed. The haulage industry isn't crying wolf on this issue, as our readers will testify.
The Government must also establish a dedicated and adequately funded National Traffic corps to tackle the gridlock in our major cities. The Dublin Port Tunnel will alleviate much of the problems in the capital when it arrives in two years time, but in the meantime efforts must be made to keep the traffic moving - albeit at a snail's pace.

he aforementioned Government Task Force has been alerted to the scourge, that is unlicensed haulage and since its inception there has been sporadic enforcement of the law. However, sporadic enforcement just isn't good enough. The law must be applied to every haulier, big and small for the betterment of all.
The Dail before the general election passed the Road Traffic Act 2002. It is now imperative that the penalty points system, an integral part of the Act must now be implemented.

The Government and its agencies must sit down with the haulage industry and draw up an interim plan to keep the traffic moving in Dublin. On numerous occasions the Irish Road Haulage
Association has put many constructive proposals to Dublin Corporation and the Dublin Transportation Office in relation to traffic management in Dublin. These proposals have fallen on deaf ears.

The National Roads Development Programme must be completed as a priority. This may require Government borrowing, but it will be money well spent. Annually millions of man-hours are being
lost through traffic congestion. The loss is a huge cost disadvantage to the economy.

The Government should have five years in office. Those five years should be put to good use. A vibrant and professional road haulage industry is a prerequisite to a thriving economy. Let us hope the Government takes note of this point.