Enforcement of Carrick HGV bye-laws needed, MD hears

Local councillors have called for a stricter enforcement of bye-laws restricting the movement of heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) through the centre of Carrickmacross town.

Since 2021, measures have applied to vehicles of three-axle or greater between the hours of 8am to 5am Monday to Sunday, but the recent Carrickmacross-Castleblayney MD meeting heard the rule appears to be ignored with increasing regularity of late.

“The ban was introduced years back,” said Sinn Féin's Noel Keelan, who remarked that there had been a number of fatalities over the years which resulted in such an intervention.

“It needs to be reinforced,” he told his fellow elected members, when they met at Castleblayney Library for their December meeting.

Junction safety and pedestrian protection remains under active review throughout the district, councillors were told, with several important updates provided to questions previously asked, provided by Senior Area Engineer Damien Thornton.

Cathaoirleach Paul Gibbons had sought a safety review of the junction from the Dundalk Road (N53) into the Old Coach Road, Castleblayney.

The Sinn Féin cllr warned that action was needed to avoid potential fatalities in future, and this was only going to get busier in years to come with greater development in the area.

The Council confirmed that the junction complies with current design standards, has adequate sightlines and no recorded reportable collisions. Separately, the Council continues to pursue approval from Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) for a major junction reconfiguration at Brennan’s Cross on the N53, including right-turn lanes and improved signage, supported by Garda collision data.Separately, Noel Keelan (SF) asked whether funding could be drawn down to address safety concerns regarding the main N2 junction on the Carrickmacross to Castleblayney road, which he maintained is “one of the busiest in the county”.

“Anything we can do to improve the safety of junctions we should do,” he told the meeting.

Pedestrian safety was also meanwhile raised by Cllr Gibbons at the New Street/Main Street crossing in Castleblayney, where lighting levels are low. A public lighting assessment will be carried out in early 2026.

In Magheracloone, Fianna Fáil's PJ O’Hanlon received confirmation that funding has been sought for a new footpath linking the school, community centre and village shop, along with the relocation of an existing speed ramp. Subject to approval, these works are expected to be completed in Q2 2026.