Northern Ireland HGV road charge
Senator Brennan warns that Northern Ireland’s £1,000 annual HGV charge will harm small cross-Border hauliers and proposes reciprocal charges on British vehicles using Irish roads.
Ní bheidh mé ró-fhada. From 1 April, heavy goods vehicles from the South will have to pay £1,000 for using roads in Northern Ireland. Coming from an area where many HGVs and hauliers traverse the Border on a daily basis, this is a significant additional charge on them. If they miss the deadline of 1 April, it will be £10 per vehicle for every day they cross the Border.
I am concerned about it. I think it will put the small haulier, who may have two or three jobs in his company, out of business given that in the region of 500 to 600 HGVs from Great Britain come through our ports per week and do not have to pay similar charges.
Comment on this
We should have a debate on the issue. It should be tit for tat. We pay in Great Britain, France and Germany. When travelling in reverse there should be a charge on HGVs from Britain to this economy for using our roadways.