Up to council to enforce HGV ban
IT is up to Meath County Council to make the Slane truck ban work Transport Minister Noel Dempsey has said.
Taoiseach Brian Cowen and Minister Dempsey met with members of the Slane bridge action group when the Taoiseach visited the village last Thursday.
Afterwards Minister Dempsey told the Drogheda Independent he has instructed the National Roads Authority to talk to Meath County Council.
He ruled out reducing motorway toll charges for HGVs to discourage them from travelling through Slane.
' We can't take the tolls off. There is a contract in place and we can't interfere with it,' said Minister Dempsey.
The Transport Minister believes the ban on HGVs travelling through Slane voted for by Meath councillors is the better 'short term solution'.
'A ban on HGVs has been implemented in places like Enfield and Maynooth. It is up to Meath County Council to come up with alternative routes for HGVs,' he stressed.
- Angela MCCORMICK
