‘Build bypass to prevent heavy trucks speeding on Limerick roads’

ARTIC trucks are speeding down a local road and causing chaos and congestion for residents, a councillor has said.

City East Fianna Fail councillor Catherine Slattery says heavy vehicles are using the Old Cork Road and the much smaller L5138 at the townland of Boherkyle to get to Castletroy.

She claimed some are driving 100 kilometres per hour on a road where the speed limit is just 50 kilometres per hour.

“Heavy truck traffic causes continuing unacceptable impacts such as noise, fumes and vibration,” she told this month’s metropolitan meeting.

As a consequence of her comments, councillors have unanimously agreed to write to Transport Infrastructure Ireland to call on them to install a bypass to Castletroy from the Boherkyle junction close to the M7.

“I feel that a bypass would significantly reduce traffic congestion in this area and would be very welcomed by all who drive to Castletroy for school and work. There is no need for cars to be backlogged every morning when we have a solution looking us straight in the face. Improvements need to be made,” added the Fianna Fail councillor.

She pointed out that millions is being spent on Active Travel projects including cycle lanes each year, yet traffic still backs up in this particular area.

“As a council, we need to contact TII and apply for funding for this bypass so our citizens can have a proper quality of life driving to work and school and the residents living on the R512 Old Cork Road and L5138 Boherkyle have a quality of life and not have to listen to artic vehicles passing their doors, and parents of children can also get a sense of relief that they are not living beside a road that cars are speeding up to 100km per hour in a 50 to 60 kilometres per hour zone,” Cllr Slattery said.

Her party colleague, Cllr Joe Pond seconded her motion.

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Separately at this month’s metropolitan meeting, it was confirmed that a report is going to be prepared for Active Travel measures along Ballysimon Road and Garryglass Roundabout.

Fellow City East councillor Elena Secas of Labour sought an update on the project following the approval of funding for it.

“A working draft will be issued for internal review in the coming weeks. Time scales for consultation and delivery will be determined based on the recommendations and outcomes of the report,” said Sean McGlynn, the senior engineer in the Active Travel department on the local authority.