Ardee vehicle weight restriction to finally be imposed

A weight restriction on vehicles using Sean O’Carroll Street in Ardee is set to be enforced, over two years after it was first passed at local authority level. 

Despite Louth County Council proposing the 7.5 tonne maximum restriction on vehicles using the residential road - which links the Ardee Link Road to Market Street - in the summer of 2016, it was never imposed after  concerns were raised in relation to the availability of alternative routes, in particular for large commerical vehicles gaining access to the Ashwalk - directly opposite Sean O’Carroll Street.

Work was undertaken to analyse traffic turning movements in the town and the local authority found they were unable to identify any suitable alternative route, and as a result, the proposed weight restriction had not been implemented.

However, according to Ardee Municipal District councillor Jim Tenanty, the council have now made a u-turn on that particular matter.

Council officials have confirmed to him that during a three-and-a-half month period this year in which Sean O’Carroll Street was closed to facilitate water upgrades, no commercial users of the road made any complaints above the lack of an alternative route. 

Therefore, it has been decided that access to the Ashwalk is not dependent on  Sean O’Carroll Street remaining open to large heavy goods vehicles.