Toll holiday for HGVs on motorways

 

A month-long toll holiday for HGVs is to be introduced on the M3 and M1 motorways during November, according to the government.

The move is an attempt to entice hauliers off local roads and onto motorways and has been prompted by the relatively low traffic levels on some tolled motorways as well as concern at the road safety implications of goods vehicles using towns and villages to avoid toll fees.

Fine Gael TD for Meath East, Regina Doherty, welcomed the announcement by Minister for Transport, Leo Varadkar, that the toll holiday is being introduced for the M1 and M3 for a trial period for the month of November.

“I welcome today’s announcement of a toll holiday in November by Minister Varadkar which will be of particular benefit to the people of Slane. For years, Slane residents have had to endure HGVs traveling through the village en masse, providing not only a serious safety hazard but blocking roads so that people can’t move about the village with ease,' she said.

“There have been numerous accidents over the years as a direct result of HGVs barrelling through Slane village and I am calling on all HGV operators to avail of this toll holiday and start using the state-of-the-art motorways that were built for the direct purpose of providing easy access to towns up and down the country,' she added. 

She believed the introduction of the toll holiday will make a huge difference to the roads around Slane and said she hoped this is something that can be made permanent.