[Article] Port tunnel changes may cost up to €60m

sliabh

antoinolachtnai wrote:

I don't know anything about the permitted container length, but it is certainly the case that a higher truck is more environmentally sound, because it reduces the number of journeys made without taking up more road space.

Are you sure about that? A higher profile will have greater drag. So more power (and pollution) will be required to move it. It also will have greater weight which means increased wear on roads.

BrianD

That is not necessarily true. The overall weight of the truck is limited by law (38 tonnes I think) so no matter the shape or size of the load the weight can't go above the legal limit. Super cubes are really only good for bulky but light items.

The height of the tunnel is really a red herring. No matter what the size of a truck it is not environmentaly friendly to bring them into urban centres. The tunnel in conjunction with the HGV management plan will put 98% of trucks through the tunnel and the other 2% via an alternative route to the M50.

Even as the truckers lobby state that many trucks make deliveries within the M50, I would hazard a guess that research would show that most of these would be going to industrial estates that are accessable via the M50. Oh and I forgot the huge number of trucks who go to the fruit and veg markets in Smithfield! In anycase, supercubes are impractical for urban deliveries because of loading and parking. High property prices mean smaller store rooms requiring smaller more frequent deliveries.

One question I haven't heard debated in whether fuel trucks will be allowed in the tunnel. One of largest truck movements in the city is tankers transferring aviation fuel from Dublin Port to the Airport. All if it moves by road through marino, drumcondra, whitehall and onto the M1. There is talk about a pipeline but I would speculate that there will be much local opposition.

antoinolachtnai

There will be more drag, but only in proportion to the increase in height, or maybe a little less. So there is no increase in drag per unit of goods carried. However, the unladen weight of the truck is roughly the same. So the total weight being transported per unit of goods is lower.

Additionally, the use of road space is less.

I can't see why a supercube is any less practical than a regular height lorry. Presumably it has the same footprint and manouverability.

A lot of companies with big stores and fast turnover seem to think that supercubes are perfectly practical.

BrianD

antoinolachtnai wrote:

There will be more drag, but only in proportion to the increase in height, or maybe a little less. So there is no increase in drag per unit of goods carried. However, the unladen weight of the truck is roughly the same. So the total weight being transported per unit of goods is lower.

Additionally, the use of road space is less.

I can't see why a supercube is any less practical than a regular height lorry. Presumably it has the same footprint and manouverability.

A lot of companies with big stores and fast turnover seem to think that supercubes are perfectly practical.

I don't quite follow what you are trying to say about the supercube trailers in your posting. The only real difference between a loaded supercube truck and a standard trailer is the height. The laden weight and length of a supercube can't be any different to a standard trailer.

The only companies that appear to use supercubes in Ireland seem to be Tescos (white and unmarked) and An Post/SDS. Supercubes are ideal for long motorway journeys from a depot to a large supermarket. You won't find them replenishing the Spar in Camden St.!

antoinolachtnai

Exactly, what I mean is that the amount of truck (i.e., unladen weight) required per unit of goods is smaller, if the unladen weight stays the same, but the number of units of goods is greater.

So you can carry say 38 tonnes with a 5 tonne truck, rather than only carrying say 30 tonnes with a 4.8 tonne truck.

Obviously, it only makes sense if you have pretty big stores and healthy turnover of goods.

How high are those trucks that Argos and Marks and Spencer use?

D'Peoples Voice

Does anyone know the expected height of the new Tunnel under the Shannon Estuary in Limerick city?
Is it to be a similar height to the Lee Tunnel in Cork?

Ste.phen

Wow, fair play, that's an old thread to be digging up