Prior to preparing the necessary legislative amendment for introducing increased national agricultural trailer weight limits operating on Irish roads, the Road Safety Authority undertook detailed technical consultations with stakeholder groups such as the IFA, the National Roads Authority and agricultural trailer manufacturers over a long period of time. The draft Regulations resulting from that process had close regard to this extensive input. Depending on axle spacing, number of axles and coupling type, agricultural vehicles will, in certain instances, be permitted to draw up to 30 tonnes, which is a significant increase on the current arrangements.
These greatly increased limits, while being acceptable from a pavement damage perspective, also take into account both the payload carrying capacity of modern agricultural trailers and of the towing capacity of the tractors which draw them. Furthermore, they align closely with the limits already in force in many agriculturally advanced Member States.
I expect that the draft Regulations related to this matter will be finalised and submitted to me shortly and, having regard to the extensive consultations that have already taken place, I will not be inviting further submissions on the content of the Regulations prior to their signature. While tractors and trailers may get bigger,. the road and rail overbridges, the tunnels, etc remain the same size.
