Pat Carey (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for giving me the opportunity to raise this serious issue. Recent legislation that allows for the establishment of a separate public sector body to deliver and improve on the driver testing service is an important development. It will enable us to provide a superior and safe driver testing service, which is significant.

However, while I congratulate the Minister on this development, I have serious concerns about proposals to concentrate the testing of truck drivers in one particular test centre — the Finglas test centre on Jamestown Road. I understand the new EU testing requirements mean that officials at the Minister's Department believe this will be the only test centre able to provide the necessary off-road facilities in Dublin, and that there is no alternative in the capital.

The centre is located in my constituency, which is one of the reasons I am raising this matter. I am certain the location is unsuitable for the proposed purpose. If ever there was a case for decentralisation, this is surely it.

The Jamestown Road test centre is situated in an old-style industrial estate surrounded on all sides by housing. Traffic in the vicinity is already reaching maximum capacity and we are looking at increased traffic levels once the Dublin Port tunnel opens. The roads in the immediate area were not designed for heavy goods vehicles and, as such, there has been significant damage to these roads. In fact, a complete reconstruction has long been fought for and is finally planned for this summer. By concentrating testing in this area, traffic will further increase and any work on the road will have been done for nothing.

The Jamestown Road area is a large residential area encompassing a number of older housing estates as well as new developments with young families and children. In this way, pedestrians in the area represent some of our most vulnerable road users — older people who use the road and paths to get to Finglas village, and young children who will often play along the roadside. Many of the older houses are country style properties and the existing level and type of traffic has already damaged the foundations of these properties.

By increasing the use of trucks on the road we are putting these people and their homes at further risk. Not only is the traffic along the Jamestown Road very heavy, but Finglas village is often congested throughout the day. The traffic management plan of Dublin City Council for the area has been working towards reducing the amount of HGVs in the village and so a decision to test even more truck drivers would fly in the face of these plans. I am not sure if the Minister's Department is even aware that there is a ban on HGVs in many roads in that area.

Aside from problems with the specific location, I have a number of further reservations about the idea. The decision to concentrate testing in one specific area would represent a backward step in the truck driving test. Rather than testing the level of competence a driver has with a heavy goods vehicle, we would in fact test his or her ability to memorise that route, to be aware of the junctions in that area and be familiar only with the traffic restrictions in that one area. To pass that test would only involve committing this route to memory, but would not necessarily illustrate competence in driving larger and more dangerous vehicles. I am sure I am not alone in having reservations about this idea and many residents have been in touch with me about their reservations in this respect.

The role of driver testing — to ensure that drivers reach an acceptable level of competence — is important in the overall context of road safety. In this way, there is an onus on us as legislators to encourage better driving in general rather than simply testing driver competence, and in encouraging greater road safety rather than simply reducing the testing backlog.

I recognise that the Minister is trying to find a balance between reducing the backlog while improving driving standards. However, I appeal to him to take on board what I have said. I strongly urge him to reconsider the decision, if one has been made. I understand the OPW will have to invest significant funds into the centre for it to meet EU requirements. Before this is done I appeal to the Minister to halt the upgrading of the Finglas centre on Jamestown Road and to redirect funding to another more suitable location in a greenfield site beside our new road network.

Tony Killeen (Clare, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I acknowledge the Deputy's concerns about the driver test centre at Jamestown Road, Finglas, Dublin 11. The process of upgrading the centre and providing off-road facilities for the testing of certain driving manoeuvres in respect of higher category vehicles, in accordance with the requirements of EU directives, has been ongoing for sometime. Plans for the refurbishment of the centre have been agreed between the OPW and the Department. The planned refurbishment is part of the Department's overall refurbishment plan for driving test centres.

As the Finglas test centre already tests the full range of vehicles, it is not entirely accurate to state that the test centre operation is being expanded. The test facility is being expanded as the redevelopment of the site includes the provision of an off-road compound to facilitate the carrying out of the reversing manoeuvre and some other elements of the heavy goods vehicle and bus driving test.

I am sure Deputies will agree that conducting these elements of the test off road in a compound will have a positive impact on safety and reduce the amount of time vehicles have to spend on the road to the benefit of residents.

Planning permission was sought and granted for the upgraded centre and no objections were received. Dublin City Council issued the final grant of planning permission on 10 September 2004. One of the conditions attaching to the permission is that, in order to protect existing residential amenities and in the interest of the proper planning and development of the area, the HGV testing service be restricted in its hours of operation between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday to Friday and that no tests be carried out on Saturdays.

I understand the concerns of residents about safety. However, in light of what I have outlined I understand there are no proposals to review the decision to upgrade the centre.