Height of Dublin Port Tunnel will not be raised

The Minister for Transport has decided not to raise the clearance height in the Dublin Port Tunnel to allow for so-called "supercube" trucks.

Mr Cullen said his decision was based primarily on safety concerns. Furthermore, it would cost up to €65 million extra and would likely delay the project by about seven months. The tunnel is being built to a clearance height of 4.65 metres and is due to open late in 2005.

The Irish Road Haulage Association (IRHA) said the decision, if transposed into a national height restriction, could result in a 25 per cent increase in the number of lorries on the roads. However, Mr Cullen said yesterday no decision had been taken on a national height restriction, and consultation was just beginning.

Although this would be a matter for the Minister of State at Transport, Mr Ivor Callely, Mr Cullen said, he did "bear in mind very strongly that the vast majority of other European countries and the big economic powers have maximum height substantially lower than what we have in place for the tunnel".

On safety, the Minister said the road in the tunnel would have had to be lowered to increase the clearance height. This in turn would have required a reduction in the width of the lanes.

"In the context of a tunnel carrying a very high percentage of heavy goods vehicles, including fuel tankers and other hazardous cargos, this_is_a_left_sq_bracketit would] constitute a reduction in overall tunnel safety," he said.

Mr Jimmy Quinn, spokesman for the IRHA, it would be environmentally preferable to have fewer, larger trucks on the roads.

Such "supercube" trucks were permitted in the UK, and the impact of the tunnel height restriction would be to consign them to Dublin streets.

Dublin City Council welcomed the "finality" which the decision brought to the port tunnel debate.

Arthur Beesley adds: The Tánaiste, Ms Harney, last night distanced herself from the PD transport spokesman, Senator Tom Morrissey, who criticised the decision not to increase the height of the tunnel.

"The Tánaiste would be supportive of the Government in relation to the way the project is proceeding," said Ms Harney's spokesman.