Weight restrictions on the Cuchulainn Road ignored by some truck drivers

Thurles Councillor Seamus Hanafin has raised concerns about HGVs on the Cuchulainn Road.

At this week’s sitting of the Thurles-Templemore Municipal District Council, the councillor said the sign was insufficient.

He said some people don’t know that there is a weight restriction and may not see the sign, while others ignore it.

“They are half hidden and can’t be seen, and in any case are not being adhered to,” said Cllr Hanafin.

District Engineer Thomas Duffy responded saying the signs are standard for TII.

Mr Duffy also said drivers are supposed to know what the sign means.

He said they are aware that the sign is being ignored, but it is ultimately up to the guards to police the road.

“We can only go so far,” said Mr Duffy. Cllr Hanafin countered that there should be a sign on the Cuchulainn Road, but Mr Duffy said if they are on the road, the driver has gone too far.

The current sign was erected in response to safety concerns raised by councillors last year.

Last September, Thurles councillors called for a ban on HGVs using the Cuchulainn Road following a series of near misses on the road, one incident involving school children.

The road was also the site of a tragic accident a number of years ago.

Elected members were told the responsibility for managing the road lay with TII.