[Article] Safety campaign targets heavy goods trucks

Victor

http://home.eircom.net/content/irelandcom/breaking/3591476?view=Eircomnet

Safety campaign targets heavy goods trucks
From:ireland.com
Wednesday, 14th July, 2004

Truck drivers and pedestrians have been called upon to be mindful of the dangers posed by heavy goods vehicles to vulnerable road users.

A joint campaign organised by the National Safety Council in association with the Irish Road Haulage Association and the National Council on Ageing and Older People is hoping to increase awareness of the 'blind spot' in front of heavy goods vehicles (HGV's).

As many as six older pedestrian deaths in 2003 alone have been attributed to the blind spot on heavy goods vehicles.

A contributing factor in the deaths of older pedestrians involved in collisions with HGVs may be crossing the road in slow moving urban traffic too close to the area immediately in front of a goods vehicle, which is normally hidden from the driver's view.

The three organisations are calling on HGV manufacturers to fit special mirrors on all new cabs at assembly line stage, to eliminate the driver's blind spot. Haulage operators and fleet managers are also being asked to retrospectively fit these mirrors on cabs, if they haven't done so already.

A series of advertisements will be published in the national and local press to highlight the threat posed to road users by the 'danger zone' around goods vehicles.

Bee

City centre Dublin has long been lethal to cyclists I have personal experience of same but how should I put it? not "personalised" experience...

Additional mirrors are useful but the onus must be on cyclists as well.

Folk need to be reminded of a few years back of promised changes and very little has happened since to alleviate matters. I don't think painting lines on roads and calling them cycle lanes are any use.

I remember the statement from the Coroners court only too well after these "accidents" but unfortunately I will get banned by Victor if I highlight what was stated by the jury.

Here is a reminder (down the page!) of what should have been done some time ago in relation to cyclists and trucks in Dublin.

Bee


http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/front/2001/1029/fro3.htm

Calls for restrictions on heavy trucks in Dublin

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By Paul Cullen
There have been calls for access for heavy goods vehicles to be restricted in Dublin city centre following a spate of fatal accidents involving cyclists.

Figures compiled by Dublin Corporation show that heavy goods vehicles contribute to the vast majority of fatal accidents involving cyclists in the capital.

Of 20 cyclists killed in Dublin in the past six years, 15 were in collision with such a vehicle. One accident involved a bus, and four involved cars.

Ms Tanya Christina Holst, a 32-year-old German, will be buried near Frankfurt tomorrow, a week after she died in a rush-hour collision between her bicycle and a truck. Last June, another cyclist was killed in a similar accident near O'Connell Bridge.

Ms Holst was crossing from Burgh Quay to Aston Quay when her bicycle hit a bump in the road. She hit off a moped, lurched back and was sucked under a passing lorry.

Ms Holst , who had been living in Ireland for the past six years, worked as a computer consultant in the Irish Financial Services Centre.

Last June, another cyclist, Ms Olivia Potterton (36), was killed when a truck turned into her path at the junction of Westmoreland Street and Aston Quay.

Following Ms Holst's death, Dublin Corporation promised that cycle lanes would eventually be opened on the roads where the accidents occurred.

However, cycling campaigners say that serious injuries and fatalities among cyclists can only be minimised by dealing with the heavy goods vehicles that contribute to the death toll.

"If you allow lorries continuous use of the city's streets, you'll continuously have cyclist deaths," says Mr David Maher, chairman of the Dublin Cycling Campaign.

Mr Maher said Dublin's quays are "a deathtrap" for cyclists, with motor traffic reaching speeds of up to 60 m.p.h. on some stretches. There are no traffic cameras on the stretch, and road redesign has meant that lorries are "virtually up on the pavement".

Mr Maher said there should be a ban on left turns by heavy trucks because of the danger to cyclists and pedestrians. In many German cities, heavy goods vehicles are prohibited, goods being transferred to smaller trucks outside urban areas.

The cycling campaign has suggested that heavy goods vehicles should be banned from the city during rush hours, and deliveries made during off-peak times.

BrianD

While one can understand the number of HGV's going up and down the quays, one has to question the presence of HGV's on other streets within the city. Have you ever seem a 40' truck going around College Green and asked what the hell is he doing there? Why does a truck need to turn from Westmoreland St. onto Aston Quay - where is it coming from and where is it going? I once so a livestock truck trundling around Stephens Green - what sort of a short cut was he taking??

Irish Truck drivers have very little civic responsibilty, any road is a fair route for them. Hence they continue to use the N2 through Slane instead of the M1. There is also an "unofficial M50" comprising of country roads through south Co. Meath that are unsuitable for HGV traffic. Aviation fuel tankers and other HGV's seem to totally ignore the 3 tonne limit on Griffith Avenue.

At the same time, the Irish truck industry harp on about the height of the port tunnel in the vain hope that they can avoid using it and our weak politicans continue to listen to them. The simple answer to the supercube trailers is to ban them. They can only be used in the UK and Ireland and the numbers in service are insignificant. Truckers say they "carry more" and they therefore environmentally friendly. The fact is that the gross weight can not exceed 38 tonnes just like any other truck. They are suitable for light bulky items and that's it

Bee

Irish Truck drivers have very little civic responsibilty, any road is a fair route for them. Hence they continue to use the N2 through Slane instead of the M1. There is also an "unofficial M50" comprising of country roads through south Co. Meath that are unsuitable for HGV traffic. Aviation fuel tankers and other HGV's seem to totally ignore the 3 tonne limit on Griffith Avenue

Any road is a fair route due to unmanaged traffic flows that create congestion and unmanaged Truck routes by the "powers that be" along side virtually fizz all policng due to a lack of a Garda traffic corps.

The simple answer to the supercube trailers is to ban them.

Unfortunately like it or lump it a major chunk of our economic trucking trade is via the UK. Banning supercube trailers would have a current and major future negative impact on the economy as the UK has shifted to them on economic and believe it or not, environmental reasons.

Its all about traffic management BrianD

Bee

Victor

Originally posted by BrianD
Aviation fuel tankers and other HGV's seem to totally ignore the 3 tonne limit on Griffith Avenue.

These 3 tonne limits are one way.

cyclopath2001

>>Following Ms Holst's death, Dublin Corporation promised that cycle lanes would eventually be opened on the roads where the accidents occurred. <<

Dublin Corporation has painted some lines on the quays starting at Wellington Quay but has omitted to erect statutory signs, meaning that motorists who abuse the lanes cannot be prosecuted.

On Aston Quay, one of the scariest places in Dublin to ride a bike, there are no lanes either 'official' or 'pretend' & I've often had the experience of being overtaken by very large trucks wanting to share the same space as me.

The city quays, in both directions are a disaster area for cycling, yet the DTO shows them as being part of its "360-km of Strategic Cycle Network."

Bee

Perhaps the most dangerous are Dublin Bus using Bus Stops as terminals. QBC's in town are constantly blocked by dangerously parked buses forcing road users to weave around them.

Pearse St/ College Green is a dangerous fiasco made worse by the treble parked private cars of the Gardai outside of Pearse St Garda station opposite the parked buses.

The lack of appropriate traffic management and law enforcement is a disgrace.

Bee

BrianD

Unfortunately like it or lump it a major chunk of our economic trucking trade is via the UK. Banning supercube trailers would have a current and major future negative impact on the economy as the UK has shifted to them on economic and believe it or not, environmental reasons.

Banning them would have zero impact as they can only transpoty bulky light goods. Our trade with Europe is increasing. Actually, it's been a while since I have seen a supercube on the road.

Bee

I want to see all trucks out of the city centre with real traffic management rather than the joke system that is currently in place.

Another reason why the the Dublin Port tunnel must be increased in height. Get the trucks off the streets.

Banning them would have zero impact

Think of the future..As trade increases and as we have no discernible rail freight network for the transport of goods all over Ireland trucks must be used and catered for.Banning is a luddite solution.

I am not going off topic here look at he bit about the amount of large trucks. If trade increase dramitically with the return of the "celtic tiger" expect more than the quoted figures in the following article.

Look at the mess made of the m50 with the mad cow roundabout instead of building flyovers etc. Banning trucks will only hit trade etc.

Bee


http://www.rte.ie/news/2003/0716/tunnel.html
New research on truck use of Port Tunnel

16 July 2003 12:54
An independent survey into the height of trucks using Dublin Port has found that 157 trucks a day will not be able to use the new Dublin Port Tunnel when it opens in 2005.

The research by the National Institute of Transport and Logistics published today indicates that almost 2% of trucks using the port on a daily basis are equal to or above the 4.65m height restriction for the Port Tunnel.

Researchers carried out an analysis of truck movements to and from the port over several months using electronic sensors and also by counting the trucks manually.

The NITL's Head of Research, Philip McCormack, said that although the number of vehicles affected was significant, the spread across the day and the percentage of total truck movements was small.

But he said trends in vehicle design and fleet composition would produce an increase in the number of higher vehicles.

He said it was in the interest of all parties that a decision about what should be done with the higher trucks is made in the near future.The NITL's Head of Research, Philip McCormack, said that although the number of vehicles affected was significant, the spread across the day and the percentage of total truck movements was small.

But he said trends in vehicle design and fleet composition would produce an increase in the number of higher vehicles.

He said it was in the interest of all parties that a decision about what should be done with the higher trucks is made in the near future

BrianD

I believe that the height issue is a red herring thrown in the hauliers as last ditch attempt to delay both the port tunnel and the traffic management plan for HGV's that will be implemented.

There are so few Supercubes in Ireland that sighting one could warrant a letter to the Irish Times (Is this a record ...) Banning supercubes is not a luddite solution but a very practical and realistic one:

* Supercubes can only travel between the UK and Ireland can't be used elsewhere in Europe
* They are only suitable for very specific types of bulky (the GVW can't be more that the current limit for a non-supercube truck).
* They won't fit under many older bridges in Ireland. Infact they will even have difficulty using the M7 where high trucks are now diverted into Naas.
* They are not suitable for urban deliveries.
* There are so few of these trailers in operation that banning them would have almost no effect.

The report says that 2% of trucks can't use the tunnel. So be it. The HGV management strategy will have an alternative route for these vehicles. The bottom line is that the tunnel and management plan will remove 98% of HGV movements out of the CBD. Instead of concentrating on 2% (157 trucks) why aren't looking 1t the 98% (7,850) that will be using the tunnel/alt route.

Bee

Instead of concentrating on 2% (157 trucks) why aren't looking 1t the 98% (7,850) that will be using the tunnel/alt route

Because of the ongoing lack of any future vision by the "powers that be" in the future needs of transport in this country.

Look at the toll bridge/m50 inadequacies, think of the destruction of the Harcourt St line. No one had any vision of the future transport needs of Dublin/Ireland.

It of course extends (the lack of vision) into all other areas. Don't get me started on the health service/housing/heroin problems that could have been nipped in the bud if forward thinking was applied

Genuine thanks for the considered and intelligent reply.

Bee