Irish propose to go for 40 tonnes
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• In a surprise move the Irish Department of Communications has told the EEC Commission and the other Member Governments that it intends to raise its gross lorry weights.
The proposed new limits are:
LI 40 tonnes for road trains Lii 40 tonnes for 5-axle artics with 3-axle semi-trailers D 35 tonnes for 4-axle artics D 17 tonnes for 2-axle rigids
The limit for 5-axle artics with 2-axle semi-trailers will remain at 38 tonnes, and there will be no change in axle weights. These moves, which apparently came as a surprise to the DTp, will severely embarrass Transport Secretary John Moore. Ireland, like Britain, has an indefinite "derogation" from the EEC Directive on lorry weights. Moore was relying on continued Irish support for his refusal to move above 38 tonnes. Now he will be isolated.
The move to 40-tonnes for 5-aided artics with 3-axle trailers is especially awkward for Moore. For this is precisely what his predecessor David Howell proposed in a December 1981 White Paper, though he was later forced to retreat to 38 tonnes under Tory backbench pressure.
In a few weeks the EEC Commission will produce a formal report required by the lorry weights Directive. This has to cover "the circumstances which have justified the derogation" for both Britain and Ireland, based on the assumption that the state of certain portions of the road network" in both countries rules out 40 tonnes. But if Irish roads can cope with 40 tonnes it will be difficult for Moore to maintain that British roads cannot.