Heavy vehicle ban on Garrycastle bridge falls on deaf ears

Garrycastle Bridge is a disgrace and all heavy vehicles should be banned from using it, Mayor Egbert Moran told a meeting of Athlone Town Council on Monday night last. Clearly frustrated, Mayor Moran said he couldn"t understand why a sign could not be put up saying no buses or lorries and they could go back on to the bypass. 'This has to stop, someone will be killed. I don"t know how it (bridge) is still there,' he fumed. Cllr Kevin "Boxer" Moran said he agreed with the motion but said unfortunately, Garrycastle Bridge was now far down the pecking order. He suggested that temporary lights be put on the bridge, a measure that worked well in Kilbeggan, and that learner drivers in articulated lorries should not use the bridge as they were causing disruption. Meanwhile, FF Cllr Kieran Molloy said he was glad to see €600,000 allocated for a realignment of the bridge this year in the non-national road allocations this week however, if traffic lights were being considered they should be set well back, he stated. 'It"s mayhem out there. It"s a complete bottleneck,' according to Cllr John Butler who agreed that heavy vehicles should be banned from using the bridge, noting that lorries had another access point. 'The wall is continually being damaged. It is not fit for those types of vehicles,' he added. Fine Gael"s Mark Cooney acknowledged there was a problem there at peak traffic times and stated the best scenario was to have a new bridge in 18 months time, while Cllr Mick O"Connell said traffic lights would be a disaster. 'People wouldn"t get home until 8pm. A new bridge is the solution,' he said. Director of Services in the Athlone Area Barry Kehoe said consulting engineers had been appointed to carry out the detailed design of a replacement and realigned bridge at the location. 'It is expected that the project will go to tender in the current year with a view to construction beginning in 2010.' However, he ruled out banning heavy vehicles from the bridge, stating that it could not be done because the bridge was fit to take them. Mr Kehoe added given the lack of an accident history at the bridge and the proposed upgrade works, it was considered that the current arrangements should remain until the construction began.