Ireland puts new limit on load height

The Road Safety Authority in Ireland has drafted new legislation which provides for a national maximum vehicle and load height limit of 4.65m. As a result of the new regulations, high cube trailers will be banned from all roads in Southern Ireland. The Road Traffic (Construction and Use of Vehicles) (Amendment) Regulations 2008 comes into operation on 1 November this year, but will not apply until 1 November 2013 to tractor units or trailers registered before the regulation commences.

As well as affecting all vehicles entering Ireland from the UK, via roll-on roll-off ferries across the Irish Sea, the legislation also means that haulage operators in Northern Ireland, who still operate under UK regulations, will not be able to take a vehicle with a load of more that 4.65m across the border. Tom Wilson, head of policy for Ireland at the Freight Transport Association told CM: "This legislation will lead to a significant increase in lorries on the roads of southern Ireland and have an adverse effect on the environment."