|
The
road to the future
The changing face of Ireland continues to manifest due
to the roads structure that is being developed throughout
the country and a company heavily involved in the development
of the roads network is Ascon Ltd.
M50
upgrade making good progress
Traffic congestion in Dublin will be greatly reduced
with the completion of the first phase of the M50 upgrade
in March 2008. Garrett Doyle of lead contractor SIAC/Ferrovial
Joint Venture explains more.
Europe
blows and Ireland feels a gale
The Irish road haulage industry is just as susceptible
to decisions made in Brussels as it is to rules and
regulations made closer to home. John Loughran reports.
Kelly's
on top of their game
The National Roads Authority (NRA) launched a vehicle
recovery service for the M50 and M11 on Thursday, November
1st 2007. The aim is to minimise traffic disruption
caused by broken down vehicles particularly during peak
hours.
How
could they get it so wrong?
Dublin City Council’s HGV traffic management plan
came into force on February 19 to a chorus of complaints
from the road haulage industry and other stakeholders.
John Loughran reports.
Another
EU directive!
In just two years time hauliers, bus, coach and minibus
drivers will have to hold both a driving licence and
a Certificate of Professional Competence before going
out on the open road. John Loughran reports.
Dublin's
HGV traffic plan
Dublin City Council’s long awaited HGV traffic
management plan for the city was approved by councillors
at a highly charged meeting of the council on April
10. However, the plan could yet be destined for the
courts.
Experts
in civil engineering
PT McWilliams, a County Tyrone family run Company, has
been in operation for 32 years and has established itself
as a leading Civil Engineering Company in Ireland.
Ireland
outstrips UK on Tens spend
On the periphery of Europe, Ireland like no other EU
Member State needs high quality road, rail and sea corridors
to get its product to market. But what happens when
our near-neighbours fail in their EU obligations, by
neglecting to invest in key transport infrastructure?
Mark
engineers the basis for a successful business
MPB Ltd has proven successful for Mark Bennett in the
last few years and after being handed some major developments
around Dublin, his company continues to grow writes
Cian O Raghallaigh.
Fannings
continue high standards
The Fanning Group has been established since 1984 and
during the intervening years has grown into a successful
and thriving business that includes three businesses
under the one umbrella. General manager Sean Keane spoke
to Irish Trucker about the rise of the company over
the last 21 years.
Bypassing
hauliers' best interest?
Is the Enfield/Kinnegad bypass, which opened before
Christmas yet another example of the Irish road haulage
industry being taken for granted? John Loughran poses
the question.
Deadline
bypassed as Dundalk project proves speedy
Roadworks in Louth were due to be completed next year
but early starts and dedication in Logan Earthmoving
ensured the target was reached early.
Promises
promises
When construction work started on the Dublin Port Tunnel
it was hailed as the panacea for the capital’s
transport ills with promises that it would remove 9,000
HGVs from the city every day. Nine months short of completion
and £171 million over budget, a different proposition
is emerging. John Loughran reports.
Dundalk
Western bypass completion
The Celtic Roads Group was awarded the contract to design,
construct, finance, operate and maintain for a concession
period of 30 years, the M1 Dundalk Western bypass. Construction
manager Ian Cunningham is confident the route will be
completed ahead of its February 2006 completion date.
A
rub with the Greens
The Irish Road Haulage Association (IRHA) has launched
a blistering attack on the Green Party following its
criticism of Dublin City Council’s HGV traffic
management plan, which is due to be implemented when
the Dublin Port Tunnel opens next year.
Lobby
Group calls on Government to buy back M50
The Irish Raod Haulage Association (IRHA) has thrown
its lot in with a number of disparate business groups
to highlight “inefficient tolls” on the M50
in Dublin. Here John Loughran opens up the great toll
debate.
Putting
Wexford on the map
Don Curtin has spent more than 30 years in local government.
For the past three years he has held the post of Roads
Liaison Officer with Wexford County Council. Don gave
Irish Trucker an insight into road construction activities
within the county.
Pilot
HGV scheme goes 'live' in Dublin
Dublin City Council is set to launch a pilot HGV traffic
management scheme in the city centre with the objective
of improving traffic flow and road safety. John Loughran
previews the initiative, which comes into effect on
March 1.
Dublin
Port Tunnel update
The National Roads Authority (NRA) has conceded that
a strict traffic management system will be put in place
at Dublin Port Tunnel, when it finally opens for business,
because the ventilation system being installed won't
be able to cope with the emissions caused by bumper-to-bumper
traffic. John Loughran reports.
Tough
talk
As 2004 gathers pace the haulage industry is tightening
its belt for yet another tough year. Irish Road Haulage
Association president Eamonn Morrissey teased out the
issues with John Loughran.
Still
a HGV hotspot
Some eight months after the opening of the Drogheda
bypass on the M1, thousands of HGVs are still passing
through the picturesque village of Slane in Co Meath
every week to the fury of local residents. John Loughran
reports.
Cashel's
bottleneck blues
Limerick based civil engineering and construction company
Roadbridge began building the N8 Cashel bypass in Co
Tipperary in 2003, which has an estimated price tag
of £29.5 million. Project engineer Pat McCarthy
gave Irish Trucker an insight into the complexities
of the project.
Collision
course
The Government and the Irish Road Haulage Association
(IRHA) could be on a collision course in a winter of
discontent on a broad range of issues from HGV tolling
to the forthcoming carbon energy tax. John Loughran
reports.
NRA
Annual Report
The National Roads Authority, the body charged with
delivering the Roads
Programme under the National Development Plan launched
its annual report for 2002 and Programme for 2003 recently.
Kilgallen's
Longford brief
Jack Kilgallen is director of services for roads and
transportation with Longford County Council. In an interview
with John Loughran, he gave an overview of road construction
activities within the county.
Road
to ruin
Proposals to introduce road charging on foreign trucks
in Britain will have serious cost implications for the
Irish road haulage industry and
Irish business. John Loughran looks at the controversial
new charge, which will come into force in 2006.
German
HGV tax will hit Irish hauliers and industry
Road charging on German motorways for all HGVs will
come into effect on Sunday, November 2, despite huge
opposition from the International Road Transport Union
(IRU) and other EU road transport associations. John
Loughran reports.
Tolls
apart
The Drogheda bypass opened for business in a blaze of
publicity on Monday June 9. However, the National Roads
Authority's decision to toll the new road, which forms
part of the M1 corridor between Dublin and the border
hasn't gone done well with the haulage industry - on
either side of the border. John Loughran reports.
Slow
down boys
Some 2,662 people lost their lives on the Republic’s
roads between 1996 and 2001. Shockingly, goods vehicles
were involved in 20 per cent of these road fatalities,
according to statistics just released by the National
Safety Council.
John Loughran reports.
Tunnel
height decision will haunt Brennan
Transport Minister Seamus Brennan has finally quashed
hauliers’ hopes of having the height restriction
at Dublin Port Tunnel raised to 4.9 metres following
discussions with the National Roads Authority and Dublin
City Council. We predict it is a decision
that will come back to haunt him.
Road
bans are a road to ruin
The much maligned road haulage industry has taken a
hammering from several quarters in the recent past.
An economic slowdown, spiralling fuel prices, escalating
insurance premiums and virtually stagnant rates are
just some of difficulties facing the industry on a daily
basis. To compound matters, there is a growing lobby
that wants to confine HGV movements to the national
roads network. John Loughran reports.
How's
My Driving?
Established in May 2001, by Tom O’Sullivan, How’s
My Driving? is an Irish owned company that provides
a driver monitoring service for Irish companies and
anyone who entrusts someone else to drive their vehicle(s)
Congestion
charging causes consternation
The advent of 'congestion charging' in the centre of
London in February caused consternation amongst road
haulage operators, who now have to pay for the privilege
of delivering their customers' goods in the city centre.
Irish Trucker reviews the introduction of Ken Livingstone's
brainchild and the Road Haulage
Association's pragmatic response.
A
uniform motorway
Work on the Northern Motorway Project (N1 Drogheda Bypass)
running from Gormanston in Co. Meath to Monasterboice
in Co Louth began in April 2000 and is due for completion
in the second quarter of 2003.
Cross-border
initiative will hit speedsters
Transport Minister Seamus Brennan has thrashed out an
agreement with the Northern Ireland Office, which will
result in Northern Ireland motorists having penalty
points added to their licence, if they are caught speeding
in the Republic. Southern speedsters driving in the
North will also suffer a similar punishment. John Loughran
reports.
HGV
ban in Dublin city centre on the cards
Transport Minister Seamus Brennan can expect to incur
the wrath of the road haulage industry, following his
admission that he intends to ban heavy good vehicles
from the centre of Dublin when the Dublin Port Tunnel
is completed in 2005. Words: John Loughran.
Port
Tunnel update
A war of words has developed between Dublin City Council
and the Transport Umbrella Group, based at Dublin Port
over the final operating height of the Dublin Port Tunnel.
John Loughran reports on the latest exchanges.
Road
haulage industry has vital role to play
Manufacturing and retail business are the heart and
lungs of our economy, but the road transport industry
is the veins and arteries that keep these vital organs
of our economy alive.” - Sean Murtagh
Tunnel
vision
Transport Minister Seamus Brennan has drawn the wrath
of the road haulage industry following an announcement
that he is considering imposing a height restriction
of 4.65 metres on all heavy goods vehicles. He is in
for one hell of a battle, writes John Loughran.
Road
charging in Dublin must be resisted
Road charging - the controversial system of paying to
enter a designated area within a city - operates in
Oslo and Singapore and is due to be introduced in London
in the near future. John Loughran asks: could Dublin
be next on the list?
Eurotunnel
increases truck shuttle departures
Eurotunnel has once increased the number of truck shuttle
departures to meet growing demand for its services.
Tyrol
in Austria introduces night ban on trucks
The local govenment in the Tyrol region of Austria has
implemented a night ban on trucks over 7.5 tonne using
the Alpine transit A12 Inntal motorway this winter,
despite doubts about the legality of the ban.
IRHA
strikes new deal with NTR
NTR, the company that runs the East and West Link Toll
bridges and the Irish Road Haulage Association (IRHA)
have reached an agreement which will result in a 10
per cent saving on toll charges for IRHA members.
Luxembourg
introduces new speed limits
International hauliers should note that new speed limits
will come into force in Luxembourg with effect from
November
Just
like new
Corcoran Auto Body Repairs, based in Knockmay Industrial
Estate in Portlaoise is known throughout the length
and breadth of the country for recovering and repairing
private and commercial vehicles. This year the company
is celebrating 25 years in business. John Loughran reports.
Slane's
bridge too far
Notorious accident blackspot Slane bridge in Co Meath,
the scene of a number of fatal accidents over the years
bore witness to two serious crashes involving HGVs during
August.
A
little advice
The Fianna Fail / Progressive Democrat Coalition Government
is back in harness and will be guiding the fortunes
of the country and the road haulage industry for the
next five years. Here Gerry McMahon offers some salient
advice to Bertie and Mary and the troops
Cork
City Council
Irish Trucker talks to Brian Cassidy, the man responsible
for Plant and Machinery in Cork City Council.
The
delivery window tightens
Dublin City Council's controversial proposal to restrict
commercial delivery times in the city centre to a two
hour window between 10.00am and noon has been roundly
criticised by business interests in the capital. Jimmy
Quinn of the Irish Road Haulage Association pointed
out the flaws in the proposal to Irish Trucker.
Taylor
appointed MD at RAC Ireland
Robert Taylor has been appointed Managing Director of
RAC Ireland. Robert has been a director of the company
in Ireland since 1997.
Getting
the Priority right
The new Harristown Little to Rathsillagh Road on the
N25 in Co Wexford was opened to traffic in April.
A
look behind the scenes
Tony O’Neill was Wexford County Council’s
project engineer on the N25 Rathsillagh to Harristown
Little realignment scheme. He gave John Loughran a behind
the scenes look at the project from conception to completion.
The
big FH
Eamonn Cole of Cole International Transport, based in
Virginia Co Cavan road tested the new Volvo FH for Irish
Trucker. After he caught his breath he spoke with John
Loughran.
£3m
investment at Monaghan Co Co sets wheels rolling
Following a critical examination of its Road’s
Department machinery yard, Monaghan County has embarked
on a major investment programme to upgrade and replace
its plant and equipment. The investment will cost more
than euro 3 million. John Loughran reports.
The
opposing view
Denis Naughten is Fine Gael's deputy spokesman on Public
Enterprise. He also has some outspoken views on the
insurance industry, road safety and the National Roads
Authority, John Loughran spoke with the haulage friendly
TD.
Keeping
it simple
When Cork based General Semi-Conductor Ireland closed
its doors last August it hit local company, Macroom
Haulage hard. However, owner Paddy Murphy is happy to
report, it wasn’t a knock-out blow. In fact, the
company is fighting fit and rarin’ to go. John
Loughran reports...
Time
to tackle the gridlock
Two out of five Dublin businesses are prepared to forsake
the capital and relocate outside the city, in order
to beat the ever worsening gridlock crisis, according
to a survey conducted by the Irish Business Employers
Conference (IBEC).
Gills
(entrepreneurial) spirit
The Gill Group based in Church Road, Ballina, Co. Mayo
epitomises the entrepreneurial spirit of modern day
Ireland.
Gridlock
Traffic gridlock and an inadequate public transport
system is eroding business competitiveness and adding
substantial costs in terms of lost man hours and delays
in getting people to work and products to market, according
to the Small Firms Association.
NRA
says SMA road surface is safe
A survey conducted by the NRA has identified the potential
skid resistance problem, but stated the problem only
arose when the SMA was not manufactured and laid to
correct specifications.
£35
million bypass route finally agreed
Offaly County Council has finally agreed the route for
the £35 million bypass of Tullamore, although
residents of the village of Mucklagh are far from happy.
Eurotunnel
truck traffic up 6% in third quarter
Eurotunnel has seen a 6% growth in freight traffic in
the third quarter of the year despite being affected
by the nightly incursions of would be stowaways, from
the near by Sangatte refugee camp.
A
meal in the midlands
You just can’t beat that full and satisfied feeling
you get after tucking into a delicious meal. You know
that lip licking, tongue tingling, sensual sensation
that oozes out of every pour. Out on assignment recently,
John Loughran dined at a peerless eatery on the N3 heading
for Mullingar that tickled his taste-buds.
New
Technology makes life 'eazier' for motorists using toll
bridges in Ireland
An advanced toll collection system called Eazy Pass
is available to Irish road users since last June.
C-ring
by 2004
Dublin’s C-ring route from Dublin Airport on the
north side to Loughlinstown on the Southside will be
completed by 2004, more than 30 years after the project
was first mooted.
Core
beliefs
Intercore Ltd is a Co. Laois based company but its reputation
and fame as a firm of few equals in its specialist field
stretches countrywide.
|
