Irish weights follow UK
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THE IRISH Government is planning to increase the maximum permitted gross vehicle weight from 32.5 tonnes to 38 tonnes for five axle articulated vehicles within the next few weeks, writes our Irish correspondent.
In a surprise announcement, Environment Minister Dick Spring confirmed that regulations to provide for the increase are "in the course of preparation," despite earlier claims by Government spokesmen that Ireland would be waiting the outcome of EEC talks on harmonisation. The new weight limit will be introduced on the basis of a ministerial order and does not need the approval of the Irish Parliament. The DoE has refused to elaborate on specific aspects of the proposed regulations such as axle spread and individual axle weights but it is believed that the changes will be broadly in line with those in the UK.
The Irish Road Haulage Association has been pushing for a 40-tonne limit and still hopes that when the new regulations are announced in detail that there might be an increase to 36 tonnes for four-axle vehicles.
In the same statement, Mr Spring also announced other measures which will bring the Irish weights and dimensions regulations into line with the UK. Subject to controls on axle spacing the maximum permitted weight on rigids with three axles goes up from 22 tonnes to 24 tonnes and with four axles from 25 tons to 30 tons (28 tons in the case of vehicles whose extreme front and rear axles are more than 24 feet apart).
A new scale of maximum laden weights will also apply for artics up to the current limit.