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Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 6 Nov 2001

Vol. 543 No. 2

Written Answers. - Heavy Goods Vehicles.

Ruairí Quinn

Question:

109 Mr. Quinn asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the plans he has to reduce the number of heavy goods vehicles using roads, having regard to their impact in terms of pollution and the number of road deaths involving these vehicles; if his attention has been drawn to plans by Irish Rail to reduce by 46%, the level of freight carried on the rail system; if he plans to discuss this with Irish Rail having regard to the additional volume of road freight that this would create; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26656/01]

I am aware of the negative impact that heavy goods vehicles can have particularly in urban areas. For example, the road accidents facts 2000 report, which has been prepared and published by the National Roads Authority, shows that 74 of the 415 road accident fatalities involved goods vehicles. A copy of that report is in the Oireachtas Library.

Some 90% of freight in Ireland is carried by road. A balanced approach must be adopted, therefore, that takes into account environmental, health and safety issues while at the same time facilitating the movement of goods. Measures are included in the national development plan which will, on completion, significantly improve the traffic situation in both urban and rural areas.

The NDP includes an amount of £4.7 billion for the improvement and maintenance of the national road network in the period 2000 to 2006. This is a threefold increase in the level of investment in national roads provided for in 1994-99. This funding will ensure: development by 2006 of the major inter-urban routes to motorway-high quality dual carriageway standard; further major improvements on other national primary routes, and an improvement of national secondary roads, with emphasis on routes which are of particular importance to economic and regional development, including links to the strategic corridors, roads serving key ports, airports, tourists areas, industry and multi-purpose roads.
This upgrading of the road network will involve the by-passing of, and the removal of through-traffic from, many towns and villages.
In the case of Dublin, the Dublin Port Tunnel when it is completed in 2004, will very significantly reduce the number of heavy goods vehicles using the city centre. A regional freight study is to be undertaken by the Dublin Transportation Office as part of its integrated transportation strategy for the greater Dublin area to 2016. This study will identify appropriate routes and identify measures for the better management of general goods distribution for freight trips to and from Dublin Port, Dún Laoghaire Port and Dublin Airport.
With regard to rail services, the review group on Iarnród Éireann which reported to the Minister for Public Enterprise on 4 July 2001 identified in its report, The Way Forward, a number of major questions to be addressed with regard to the future of the rail freight business and recommended that a more thorough study of the issues be commissioned as a matter of urgency.
I understand that this will now be pursued by the Department of Public Enterprise in the context of likely changes in freight transport, distribution and logistics and the particular contribution which rail freight can make to goods distribution and the alleviation of road congestion. The forthcoming report to be made to the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources by the task force on port logistics will also deal,inter alia, with the question of rail freight.
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