Severe traffic disruption has been witnessed around Dublin’s East Wall and the Dublin Port Tunnel after a tax protest by lorry drivers broke out in the early hours of this morning.
The conflict emerged between lorry drivers and the state after a claim that a heavy goods vehicle costs US$5,100 to tax for a year in the Republic of Ireland and only US$1000 in Northern Ireland, which is part of the UK.
Source: Irish Times
Irish-registered lorries hauling goods across the UK are also required to pay a road toll of US$12 per day, while UK-registered lorries are not.
Members of the Irish Road Haulage Association claim that up to 3,500 Irish-registered lorries are likely to re-register outside the state by Christmas.
Source: Irish Times
The hauliers claim that up to 1,500 heavy goods vehicles have been re-registered outside of the state, particularly in Northern Ireland, over the last 18 months.
Drivers blocked Dublin’s southbound tunnel with lorries at around 6:00 this morning but they were moved shortly after 8.30, and the tunnel has now reopened.
The East Wall road inbound has also reopened after being blocked.
