Heavy haulage trucks take detour from Limerick to Naas to get to Waterford

A HOSPITAL businessman has outlined the challenges he faces when asked to transport items over long distances.

Jimmy O'Neill, who runs O'Neill's Heavy Haulage in south Limerick, has revealed how he has to take detours miles out of his way in order to safely deliver some of the most challenging cargo around the country - and further afield.

On top of this, the haulier has to secure permits from the local authority of every county his drivers travel through, as well as pay for a garda escort - which requires seven days’ notice.

O'Neill's transport a whole number of items, including windmills and temperature-controlled dairy produce in large stainless-steel vessels.

These measure 25 metres by 4.8 metres in size meaning getting around is a huge challenge.

It means the vehicles have just inches of leeway as the tanks scrape perilously close to the maximum bridge height of five metres.

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In the last fortnight, staff of O'Neill's Heavy Haulage transferred items to Waterford Port, having taken delivery of them from Charleville, where the cylinder vessels were made. Rather than travelling west along the N24, his vehicle specifications meant a diversion was planned.

Mr O'Neill said while it would be possible to do this, the truck drivers would need to manually steer around each roundabout, as well as taking the signs down at each of these roundabouts in order to drive over the grass verge.

“So it’s easier for us to go from Charleville to Limerick up the motorway to Naas, come back down the M7 south and transfer to the M9 motorway.

“There's no roundabouts - it's just one motorway up and one motorway down,” he explained.

What would make life easier for haulage companies like his, Mr O’Neill said, would be a national permit to travel, rather than having to approach several different local authorities.

“We need to apply for separate permits with each council for each day, each week. They all cost €200. You must factor that into the price.”

Mr O'Neill employs 10 people in the haulage firm, and another five in the shop and pub he runs in Hospital village.