The Dublin Cycling Campaign has called for the council to ban all heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) from the city centre once the Port Tunnel opens, following the death of a cyclist on Saturday.
A woman in her 20s was killed when she was involved in a crash with a truck at the corner of North King Street and Blackhall Place at Stoneybatter in Dublin, at about noon on Saturday.
She died at the scene and the truck driver was taken to hospital, where he was treated for shock and minor injuries. She was the first cyclist to die on the roads in 2006. In 2005, 10 cyclists were killed around the country. Over seven years to 2002, of the 21 cyclists killed in the Dublin City Council area, 16 were involved in crashes with (HGVs).
A draft HGV management strategy is being considered by the council. The strategy proposes that HGVs with five or more axles be banned from the city centre between 7am and 7pm after the tunnel is opened.
However, it allows for a number of exceptions, including trucks from industries in the city centre, vehicles delivering construction materials to the city centre and trucks delivering liquid fuel.
The Dublin Cycling Campaign called for an immediate commitment from the council that all HGVs would be banned from the city centre once the Port Tunnel opens.
Campaign spokesman David Maher said it was impossible to have a safe cycling environment if a large number of HGVs were to be allowed to continue using the city centre.
Green Party Deputy Éamonn Ryan said that there should be a ban on vehicles with three axles or more, with limited permits for those going to building sites.
