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Public consultation summary report for Ireland’s first 10-Year Road Haulage Strategy issued

Hildegarde Naughton TD., Minister with special responsibility for road haulage and logistics, has published the public consultation summary report for Ireland’s first 10-Year Road Haulage Strategy. As committed to in the Programme for Government, this strategy will focus on generating efficiencies, improving standards, and helping the haulage sector move to a low-carbon future.

Commenting on the publication, Minister Hildegarde Naughton said: “Ireland’s domestic and international road haulage sector plays a critical role in our economy. It is vital that the 10-Year Road Haulage Strategy, the first of its kind for Ireland, is astute to the challenges and opportunities facing the sector in order for us to plan for its future growth and development. The summary report of the public consultation reflects feedback received from stakeholders and is the next step towards finalising Ireland’s first haulage strategy. We must strive for the best and produce an ambitious and achievable strategy; one which brings about the efficient movement of goods.”

“Separately, the Haulage Strategy is an opportunity for Government, and indeed the sector, to showcase haulage and logistics as an attractive career option. Young people and women in particular are underrepresented in the industry at present – attracting them to careers in logistics will diversify the sector, bring new skill sets and fresh perspectives. My hope is that the 10 Year Road Haulage Strategy will be a strong foundation upon which we can achieve this, and much more,” she continued.

The Department of Transport launched the public consultation in 2021 to seek stakeholder and citizen views on the development of the strategy. The 8 topic areas addressed were: COVID-19, Brexit, Sustainability and Decarbonisation, Road Safety, EU Road Transport Policy, Road Infrastructure, Labour Market and Skills and Intermodal Transport. A total of 43 submissions were received.

On the topic of COVID 19, results from the public consultation shows that stakeholders supported several measures such as better communication and more consistent messaging around crisis measures, the creation of guidelines for the operation of the sector during future crises and a larger role for the freight and logistics sector in the State’s emergency planning process.

On Sustainability and Decarbonisation, stakeholders supported the promotion of Eco-Driving, the provision of incentives to support the uptake of lower emission and alternatively fuelled HGVs and the roll-out of infrastructure for alternative fuels.

On Road Infrastructure and Usage Charging, stakeholders supported investment in digital infrastructure and the development of clear guidelines to advise industry of the plans for future road user charging for freight transport.

On Labour Market and Skills, stakeholders supported the development of clear pathways into the industry for young people and new entrants, including via the development of apprenticeship schemes and measures to improve gender balance in the sector.

These proposals are currently being analysed by the department, and work is underway on a draft text of the Road Haulage Strategy, which will be made available to stakeholders for further consultation in Autumn 2022. Following this, the strategy itself will be finalised before the end of the year, with implementation to begin immediately thereafter.

The public consultation report will be available to view at www.gov.ie/ transport

Search is on for Ireland’s Road Safety Champions

*Road Safety Authority calls for nominations for ‘Leading Lights in Road Safety’ Awards 2022

Once again, the Road Safety Authority (RSA) is calling on the public to submit nominations to the national ‘Leading Lights in Road Safety’ Awards which are returning this year following a two-year absence due to Covid-19.

The awards recognise a group or individual who campaigns, educates, and is committed to improving road safety in their community and honours the significant contribution made by people and organisations nationwide in reducing deaths and serious injuries on Irish roads. Nominations are now open and can be submitted online on the Leading Lights webpage on rsa.ie. Anyone submitting a nomination is encouraged to include relevant background information, such as photos, videos, or other supporting documents to enhance their application. The closing date for entries is 28 October 2022. The 2022 awards will see a continued emphasis on alternative transport modes with a “Sustainable Travel” category, which recognises a group or individual that has positively influenced a modal shift to sustainable travel. A ‘’Future Award’’ will be given to an individual, business or organisation that displays innovation and forward-thinking in promoting road safety.

Announcing the call for entries, Ms Liz O’Donnell, Chairperson of the Road Safety Authority said: “These awards recognise the extraordinary contributions made by these volunteers, teachers, students, businesses, public bodies, journalists, and community groups to reduce serious injuries and deaths on our roads. If you know someone or an organisation that has made a significant effort to promote road safety in your community, I would encourage you to nominate them for this year’s ‘Leading Lights in Road Safety’ Awards so that we can recognise the important work that they do.”

Entries will be accepted in each of the following categories:

n Road Safety Champion of the Year - This award will be given to an individual who has raised awareness of road safety in their community and who acts as an ambassador for others on how to be road safety aware. n Education - Pre-primary, Primary,

Secondary, Special, Third Level/

Further and Community Education Public Sector Business Emergency Services Future Award Sustainable Travel

n Approved Driving Instructor (ADI) of the Year

n CPC Trainer/Training Organisation of the Year

The winners in each of these categories will go forward and be in with a chance of winning the Supreme Award in Road Safety for 2022. This award will be given to the individual or group who in the opinion of the independent judges has made an outstanding contribution to road safety. The supreme award is dedicated to Gertie Shields, an inspirational road safety activist who sadly passed away in 2015 and who won the Supreme Award in 2013.

Nominations should be submitted online and anyone submitting a nomination is encouraged to include relevant background information, such as photos, videos, or other supporting documents to enhance their application. The closing date for receipt of entries is 28 October 2022. The entries will be judged by an expert and independent judging panel.

The winners of each category will be announced at a gala awards ceremony in Croke Park in December.

Previous winners of the ‘’gertie Shields Supreme award’’

2019- Tipperary woman, Gráinne Kealy, who suffered a brain injury and serious facial injuries in a road traffic collision, and now uses her experience to educate others.

2018 - Castletown Girls National School in Co. Louth tackled the use of mobile phones by their parents in cars.

2017 - Richard Alcorn from Donegal who survived a road traffic collision in 2006 and now gives his time freely to delivering road safety messages to young adult.

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