COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

South Dublin County Council Crest

MEETING OF LUCAN / PALMERSTOWN / NORTH CLONDALKIN AREA COMMITTEE

Tuesday, March 25, 2025

QUESTION NO.14

QUESTION: Councillor H. Farrell

To ask the manager what additional actions could be taken by SDCC to help restrict HGV's breaking weight restrictions in the Lucan and Palmerstown areas, despite years of solutions being sought from Gardaí and SDCC previously.

REPLY:

There are a number of HGV restrictions in operation in Lucan and Palmerstown. 

In accordance with the Traffic Signs Manual the Maximum Gross Weight (Traffic Management) Sign, RUS 015, indicates that vehicles whose gross weight exceeds that specified on the sign are prohibited.

Section 95 (5) of the Road Traffic Act 1961 as amended, prescribes that a road authority may, with the consent of the Commissioner, provide for any public road in their charge such traffic signs as they consider desirable.

Strategic Instrument (SI 332 of 2012) Road Traffic (Traffic and Parking) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2012 was signed by the Minister for Transport Tourism and Sport on 3rd September 2012. These Regulations provided inter alia, for road authorities to provide for the control of traffic in public places in respect of maximum length/width/weight/axle-loading of vehicles. These Regulations also changed the weight restriction definition from one of vehicle weight (unladen) to that of the gross vehicle weight (laden or total carrying capacity) in accordance with EU requirements, to be effective from 1st May 2013.

In response to these regulations, the Council subsequently developed “The Mobility and Management of Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGV’s) on South Dublin County Road Network Policy. The purpose of the policy was to bring a coherent and uniform strategy to bear in making decisions in relation to weight restrictions.

 It is important to note that a HGV restriction does not ban all HGV's from a particular road. If a HGV is making a delivery to that location, be it to a retail location or building site, then that delivery may still has a legitimate right to be on that road.  The HGV restriction is put in place to restrict HGV's of particular weight classes from using an unsuitable road as a through route, where a more suitable road is available.  To distinguish whether a particular HGV is legal, the gardai must stop the vehicle and make enquiries as to where it is going by inspecting its delivery docket.

If there are specific accounts of non compliance with the restrictions, these should be relayed to the Gardai or the SDCC traffic section and these can be investigated.

SDCC is reviewing the current HGV restrictions across the county, including in Lucan and Palmerstown.  There will be workshops with the members shortly to discuss any adjustments to the existing Bye Laws or any additional restrictions that should apply.

HGV restrictions must be agreed with the Gardai as they are the responsible body which will enforce them.  Therefore the restrictions must be used sparingly and in the most needed areas only.

The most needed areas can be near schools at school times and near areas with significant pedestrian and cyclist users where alternative routes for HGV's exist.