Members of the Irish Road Haulage Association (IRHA) described yesterday's disruptive action as an "unqualified success", although most routes remained open and parts of Dublin were less congested due to the protest.
The IRHA president, Mr Gerry McMahon, described the day as "a muscle-flexing exercise" to show the Government the number of trucks the IRHA could call upon to support its case for a cut in taxes on diesel oil. Some 1,500 trucks took part.
Businesses in the five main cities lost an estimated £18 to £20 million because of the protests, according to the Small Firms Association. Its chief executive, Mr Pat Delaney, said that in Dublin losses were estimated at up to £6 million. The SFA surveyed 100 companies. Thirty started work much earlier to avoid delays.
Mr Delaney said the retail sector took major losses as people stayed away from the cities, and some workers took a day off. Those most affected were in the perishable goods sector "sub-supplying" goods such as sandwiches to restaurants, pubs and eateries, he said.
Mr Conor Faughnan, of the AA, said it was "a slightly strange kind of day" because many expected chaos and stayed away. "People who were inside the M50 flew into town while outside the M50 there were long delays. The disruption was not as dramatically severe as it might have been," he said.
The IRHA's national council is meeting in the Green Isle Hotel today to review the day of action and to decide if further protests are necessary. The association says that while yesterday's protest was designed to minimise disruption, blockades may be set up if the Government position remains unchanged.
"We are delighted with the protest," said Mr McMahon. "We tried to be as professional as possible and we think it has worked out. We tried not to get up the nostrils of the general public and I think the level of support showed it worked".
The slow-moving convoys began to move at daybreak, with congestion reported first on the southern approach roads to Dublin. By rush hour it was apparent that massive disruption was not happening as trucks on many national routes kept to one lane, allowing other traffic to pass.
Meanwhile, shipping companies in Dublin Port have complained of threats that haulage services would be withdrawn from the port on Monday next unless they agreed to an immediate 10 per cent increase in fees. The IRHA has dissociated itself from the demands, which have also been condemned by the Competition Authority. Some company representatives said they did not want to be identified, particularly in the light of a bitter dispute with shipping companies that occurred over pricing in 1997. That dispute was the subject of a competition ruling that hauliers could not negotiate for contracts en bloc, and must negotiate their prices individually. Mr Eoin Maguire, of BG Freightline, claimed his company had received a demand for an immediate increase.
"We have been told that it will apply from Monday," he said. He was fully aware there had been increases in fuel but pointed out that the demand for an increase was for 10 per cent of the overall contract value, which was made up of labour costs, depreciation and many other items as well as fuel. He said the company did not accept the demand and would be seeking talks with the hauliers.
Mr Eamon Sullivan, of Coastal Container Line, also confirmed that the demands had been made.
He said he had a certain sympathy for the truckers. However, the hauliers were not giving his company any option, which he felt was unfair.
A spokesman for the Chartered Institute of Transport acknowledged that such demands had been made and said that before price increases there must be negotiation. Mr Philip Mahony said the institute "applauded the reasonable stance of hauliers to date" but repeated that there should be be negotiation on increases.
Mr Gerry McMahon, IRHA president, distanced his association from the demands, saying they were not made by his members. The IRHA would, he said, be seeking a 10 per cent surcharge on contract prices, but he insisted this would be by negotiation with shipping companies and not by threats. Yesterday, however, the Competition Authority said it had written to the IRHA asking for clarification of media reports of its demand for a 10 per cent surcharge.
The Competition Authority said if such an increase was imposed by the IRHA over the coming week, the authority would consider it contempt of court and report it to the High Court.
A telephone number supplied by the AA as that of its information line and used in yesterday's Irish Times was incorrect. The AA has apologised to the newspaper and the public for the confusion