RSA refute claims weigh facility a trap for M6 toll ‘dodgers’
The Road Safety Authority has refuted suggestions by businesses in East Galway that an inspection area for lorries and other heavy goods vehicles is a means of encouraging them to use the M6 motorway.
A second public meeting has been held in the Aughrim with many locals voicing their opposition to the installation of a weighing area for heavy goods vehicles and the consequent additional presence of Gardai.
It is planned to provide the weighing area for vehicles on the old Galway to Dublin road near Aughrim village – this road is already used by a considerable number of large trucks and lorries who avoid paying the €6.10 on the motorway.
But Brian Farrell of the Road Safety Authority told that Connacht Tribune that the Gardaí are responsible for enforcement of overweight vehicles and that the RSA have no function in the area of tolling.
He said that the RSA have been using the Aughrim location for carrying out of regular checkpoints of heavy commercial vehicles over the past seven years.
And Mr Farrell emphasised that no weighbridge was proposed for the Aughrim area – instead it is proposed that mobile weigh pads would be provided for use by the Gardaí for weighing heavy commercial vehicles.
“The RSA are supporting this initiative as ultimately vehicles which are carrying a weight above which they are designed to carry pose a road safety risk which needs to be managed.
“Also the RSA, overall, supports a competitive playing field for transport operators and those who break the rules and carry loads above which they are permitted can be gaining an unfair advantage against those who operate within the relevant legal obligations,” Mr Farrell added.
Senior Executive Engineer with Galway County Council, Adrian Headd confirmed in an email that the local authority will be constructing the inspection area and the project is supported by both the Road Safety Authority and the Gardaí. It is being fully funded by the Road Safety Authority.
Mr Headd confirmed that the function of the project is to provide a safe inspection area for the Road Safety Authority and the Gardaí to continue carrying out inspections at this location.
He added that another function was to promote greater road safety by ensuring vehicles are compliant when using public roads.
Members of the business community believe that this will have a two-pronged impact. Reduce the number of heavy lorries using the old Galway to Dublin Road and, as a direct consequence, increase the profits for the toll operators on the M6 at Cappataggle.
The public meeting once again articulated the view that there would be a dramatic reduction in the number of vehicles using the old Dublin road and this would have an effect on businesses in Aughrim village.