Irish killer 'cowboys'
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THE MAXIMUM gross weight of Irish lorries should be raised to 37 tons, according to Irish Road Haulage Association president Sean McQuaid, who also believes there is an urgent need to enforce regulations.
Mr McQuaid said recently: "Most articulated lorries could operate safely at about 40 tonnes gross weight. We would like to see a legal limit of about 37 tonnes which would be strictly enforced in the interests of the.whole community."
He accused "cowboy'' hauliers of putting Irish lives al risk every day through overloading — often up to 50 tonnes gross — an evasion of safety requirements, and claimed thar the country's road system is being destroyed by overweight lorries.
While Mr McQuaid said thar the Government and Garda (police) are largely to blame foi not enforcing existing regula• tions, he also claimed that Hsibusinesses were also to blamE as they "conspired with haulier: to break the law."
He claimed that many firm: forced hauliers to break the 32.5 tonne gross weight limit. "If I tr) to negotiate a contract and say will not carry more than the lega load, the contract will go tc another haulier who doesn' care about the limit," he said.