British and Irish politicians call for HGV levy exemption on NI roads

The UK Minister for Transport should consider providing exemptions to Irish hauliers on Northern Ireland roads, particularly the A5, according to a report adopted by the British Irish Parliamentary Assembly (BIPA). The UK’s HGV levy, in force since 1 April 2014, provides that all vehicles of a gross weight of 12 tons or more must pay a charge for using the UK's roads.

The BIPA committee charged with EU Affairs issues has published a range of concerns about the effect of the new levy on cross border trade on the island of Ireland. The report was formally adopted by the wider Assembly at this morning’s 49th Plenary Session taking place in Ashford in Kent.

Robert Walter MP, who chairs the Committee, says: “There is an extensive network of roads that cross the border between Ireland and Northern Ireland used on a daily basis by Irish and Northern Irish hauliers. As a consequence, our report calls for both the British and Irish Governments to provide an assessment of how the new HGV Road User Levy is compatible with EU rules. There is a danger of such policies hindering not just cross border co-operation but also cross border trade so we are calling for an urgent response from both governments to our concerns.” “The A5 is a special case, as hauliers have to transit the jurisdiction of another EU member state in order to access ports in their own state. Coupled with the commitment to spend £50 million of Irish tax payer’s money on an A5 upgrade, the Committee believes that an exemption is particularly warranted for those hauliers travelling along this key route.”

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:HGV Levy Report

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The Assembly's mission is to promote co-operation between political representatives in Britain and Ireland for the benefit of the people they represent. BIPA’s membership includes representatives from the UK Parliament, the Houses of the Oireachtas, the Scottish Parliament, the Northern Ireland Assembly, the Welsh Assembly, the High Court of Tynwald (Isle of Man) and the States of Guernsey and Jersey. Read moremore.