Dublin City Council's proposed ban on heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) is just "a smokescreen" designed to hide the council's failure to open the Port Tunnel, according to the Irish Road Haulage Association.
The association is concerned concern about council plans to extend the HGV ban from a core central area to incorporate parts of the Navan Road, Cabra, Phibsboro, Drumcondra and north inner city.
Under new measures, the council is proposing to ban HGVs with five axles or more from the streets within the cordon between 7am and 7pm.
But the hauliers said the scheme is "madness" and have secured the support of some port-users in their call to Minister for Transport Martin Cullen to review it. They include the Irish International Freight Association, Ibec, the port's Transport Umbrella Group, the Irish Exporters Association; the Dublin Port Company, and the Market Traders' Association.
These organisations want the ban delayed at least until a regulatory impact assessment is carried out. They also want to see the upgrade of the M50 in place, a southern port access route agreed, and suitable alternative routes identified for use when the tunnel is closed.
Commenting on the proposed ban, Jimmy Quinn, vice-president of the Irish Road Haulage Association, said: "This latest development is utter madness and is clearly a smokescreen for the council's failure to open the long-awaited Port Tunnel, despite promises.
"This latest twist is bizarre as all the stakeholders in Dublin Port met last week and it was agreed to contact Martin Cullen's office to raise joint concerns regarding the implementation of Dublin City Council's HGV strategy.
Mr Quinn said the group was fully committed "to the absolute success of the Dublin Port Tunnel project. However, there are serious concerns that need to be discussed with the Minister as a matter of urgency".
But Dublin City Council has said the HGV ban will not come into place until the Port Tunnel is open. It would be in a position in June to announce a date for the opening of the tunnel.
