Upgrade of Laois national road causes collapse on side road that's now a 'nightmare'

A side road used by national, Laois and Offaly traffic to bypass Mountmellick town centre was damaged when motorists were told to use it during summer road works has now become a nightmare for local residents.

The collapse of the embankment at Cloonag/New Mills, Mountmellick emerged at a meeting in Laois County Council where the local authority was called upon to take steps to slow traffic because of a big rise in vehicles on the road.

Cllr Paddy Bracken, Fianna Fáil, raised the issue with management and engineers asking for repairs to be completed adding that the road was in "urgent need of of traffic calming".

He elaborated further.

"The road collapsed with the extra traffic with the work on the N80. Aside from that the road is in a terrible condition and the amount of traffic is unreal. It is a nightmare for people living out there," he said.

Cllr Bracken said action has been sought previously but 'nothing was done'. 

He said traffic from Tullamore, Portlaoise are using it as a bypass and it has got more popular since it was used as an official diversion around Mountmellick.

"It definitely needs major work. It is deadly dangerous and the residents are living in fear," he said. 

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Mr. Edmond Kenny, District Engineer, confirmed in his reply that the road had been damaged with repairs ongoing.

"A section of collapsed embankment has been repaired. Further repair works will be undertaken on this stretch of road in the coming weeks," he said.

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The issue was raised at the Borris-in-Ossory Mountmellick Municipal District meeting.