Bertie gets truculent

DublinWriter

Ah, good auld Bertie, gettin' all truculent about super-trucks after he gets the 5-cent tour of the Dublin Port Tunnel.

However, various industry bodies have since stated that super-trucks are more environmentally friendly and cost effective than regular trucks.

But you know what? Let's build the most minimum spec infrastructure for the maximum of cost. Gombeenism and brown-bagism abound.

Personally I was shocked when I saw the width of the tunnel - there doesn't appear to be a hard-shoulder or service/emergency lane. Could you imagine the chaos down there if a truck broke down or there was a median-crossover accident?

Taking Bertie's argument to it's logical conclusion, it's basically like saying that the sick and elderly aren't welcome as we're not interested in providing the necessary infrastructure for them.

I've heard that the whole super trucks thing is a pile of nonsense. Apparently they can't fit under the bridges/flyovers across Irish roads and thus can't even come in to Ireland at all, so to moan about the tunnel not being large enough for them is illogical. But any excuse for another bout of naval gazing and beating our chests I guess...

As for the reference to 'brown bagism', are you making a specific allegation that Bertie received a kickback, or just trotting out perhaps the most jaded and unoriginal line again. And if you can't support the allegation, can we all make up stuff? Then I'm having a go. 'I hear Joe Higgins spits on the homeless and Pat Rabbitte steals old ladies underwear off clothes lines'...

DublinWriter

Deleted User wrote:

As for the reference to 'brown bagism', are you making a specific allegation that Bertie received a kickback, or just trotting out perhaps the most jaded and unoriginal line again.

Well I suppose brown-baggism is a pretty jaded phrase considering how much FF corruption we've seen in the past. Maybe we need a more orignal phrase....crookedism maybe? Fiddilism perhaps?

I see you ignored the point about super trucks though, and the fact that they can't come in to Ireland at all.

Anyway, poor Bertie needs all the money he can get if he wants to live up to his claim of being a Socialist. As Rabbitte and Spring prove, real Irish socialists 'got loadsamoney'...

MrPudding

Deleted User wrote:

I see you ignored the point about super trucks though, and the fact that they can't come in to Ireland at all.

That is strange as I have seen some. An Post bought 5 of them recently, well possibly last year. They use them to transport mail between the regional sorting offices. You obviously don't remember but they came in for some crap when it was pointed out they would not fit through the tunnel. There was much laughter at them until they pointed out that they would never have to go through the tunnel.

You will also see them coming down form the north. I think M&S use them regulary to do deliveries and also Argos.

Given that I have never seen any footage of one jammed beneath a flyover or bridge I am going to go ahead and assume the flyovers and bridges are of suficient height.

MrP

DublinWriter

Deleted User wrote:

Apparently they can't fit under the bridges/flyovers across Irish roads and thus can't even come in to Ireland at all

Since when?

Deleted User wrote:

'I hear Joe Higgins spits on the homeless

Ehhhh no. That's Fiana Fail who do that.

bonkey

[QUOTE=MrPuddingGiven that I have never seen any footage of one jammed beneath a flyover or bridge I am going to go ahead and assume the flyovers and bridges are of suficient height.[/QUOTE]

Or that they simply avoid routes where there will be bridges / whatnot of insufficient height.

jc

MrPudding

bonkey wrote:

Or that they simply avoid routes where there will be bridges / whatnot of insufficient height.

jc

Very possibly. I think road bridge height on main road and motorways are governed by EU legislation. The An Post trucks travel over most of the country without incident so I would presume they will stay off smaller road where there may be an issue. That is just common sense.

MrP

Not an expert myself, was talking to someone who worked on the project and who deals with various transport projects across Europe. Think she's now working on some Madrid rail link - wonder will the Spanish spend 5 years moaning about the project and saying the guages are all wrong...

Here is what a spokeman for the minister said about the height problems...

http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/front/2003/0513/2089680400HM1TUNNEL.html

Furthermore, I understand that Iarnrod Eaireann specifically warned about supertrucks and the effect on their railway bridges.

Thomond Pk

DublinWriter wrote:

or there was a median-crossover accident?

The Port Tunnel actually comprises two seperate tunnels both lined with concrete; The correct decision was taken in this case there have been far too many cyclist fatalities on the Liffey Quays. Supertrucks are a non-issue real freight moves in containers, LTUL or air freight mode

murphaph

The irish motorway network can and will continue to accomodate 'supertrucks' as does the entire UK motorway network-our main export route ffs! The tunnel should have been built to accomodate them and Bertie's bullsh!t about them not being wanted is typical from the man.

Thomond Pk

I totally disagree,

The Irish Exporters Association are on record as stating that they are concerned at Port Congestion due to the rising volume of low value high bulk imports. Freight is all about weight to value ratios and if argos can't squeeze more of their plastic toys into their trailers that is quite frankly tough in my opinion.

Transport is in crisis in this Country and the expenditure of scarce resources to allow Tesco put more toilet rolls in their trailers is not an issue. What can't be done in France or the Kennedy Tunnel Antwerp should not be done in Dublin.

Maskhadov

speaking of the dublin port tunnel... did anyone read in the tribune today that the people who are building it want another €400million Euro to complete it .. I find it incredible.

Regarding Supercubes. I think only the UK use them. They arent popular on the continent. So that must tell you something if the germans dont use them (enviormentally friendly and efficent that they are). Plus mainland Europe use a lot of two trailers. Why cant we just do that here and ban supercubes (who are a hazard on the road with such a high profile).

Bertie ahern was right

Thomond Pk

If thats occurs I will personally cream pie Martin Cullen

Should we change the thread title to 'Bertie gets supertruckulent'?

Thomond Pk

Conor this is far from funny we are talking about 444,000,000 euro of incompetence this is only a kilometre from the 350,000,000 South Wharf incident.

The sooner these monkeys are put to grass the better

jd

Is there an increase in axel loading for these super-trucks? and isn't damage to roads proportional to the 4th power of the loading? So while it may be cheaper for the road hauliers, the road fabric deteriorates at a faster rate?

Thomond Pk

There is no additional axle loading as all vehicles must conform to the European and DOE weight limit regulations. These vehicles are designed for bulky light loads; the only additional loading here is on the poor taxpayer.

bonkey

Deleted User wrote:

wonder will the Spanish spend 5 years moaning about the project and saying the guages are all wrong...

If its any consolation, the Swiss seem to spend decades complaining about theirs.

jc

Thomond Pk

Thomond Pk wrote:

Conor this is far from funny

I thought you were going to throw a cream pie?

Thomond Pk

No Conor I would get close enough to place it properly unlike Martin Cullen I possess the ability to plan and the accuracy to hit the target.

Maskhadov

Why wont the hauliage industry just use a second trailor ??? there are loads of them on the continent of all different sizes.

Also, can someone please post the standard clearing height in metres of each of the western nations in the EU ? If its 4.65meters then the hauliage companies should take a hike

RicardoSmith

The real scandal is why they didn't run a rail link through the tunnel to the airport while they were at it.