Calls made to restrict HGV vehicle usage on Letterkenny road
Cllr Tomás Seán Devine made comments at Letterkenny-Milford Municipal District Meeting
A bid to keep large vehicles off Letterkenny's Windy Hall Road during peak times has raised questions over enforcement.
Letterkenny councillor Tómas Seán Devine is calling for restrictions on HGVs using the Windyhall Road in the mornings, saying heavy traffic is causing “phenomenal” tailbacks.
“I went up one morning myself,” Cllr Devine told Tuesday’s Letterkenny-Milford Municipal District meeting.
“One morning in particular, I saw a large tractor with a trailer load of scaffolding, and the tailbacks were phenomenal.
“All I’m asking is that we put large traffic off the road for a couple of hours in the morning time.”
Cllr Devine said he believed the restriction would keep commuter traffic moving.
“It’s used by a lot of school traffic. There are delays for a lot of people when there is a tailback,” he said.
The motion was met with some concern about the logistics of the restriction.
Cllr Gerry McMonagle warned that "we need to be careful" as school buses also use the route.
We need to be careful
Cllr Michael McBride said exceptions would also have to be made for the farming community in the area, particularly at times of the year when farmers are drawing silage or travelling to marts early in the morning.
A council spokesperson said the first step would be to discuss the matter with gardaí.
Cllr Devine was advised that there may be difficulties around enforcement, but that an assessment can be carried out to see if the restriction is feasible.
The assessment would establish if it is appropriate to install a maximum vehicle width sign with a supplementary plate setting out the times when restrictions would apply.
In the long-term, the Letterkenny Northern Network Project will provide a new road realignment of the existing L1152-1 Windyhall Road.