Councillors in Meath have been presented with a report examining the impact of banning heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) in Slane village.
Earlier this year An Bord Pleanála refused permission for a bypass of Slane. It said a bypass would be acceptable only where it was demonstrated that no appropriate alternative was available; this was taken to mean considering banning HGV traffic from the medieval village.
The bypass is an objective of the council as 22 people have died in Slane in crashes in the village in living memory.
In a presentation of the findings of consultants AECOM to councillors yesterday, Nicholas Whyatt, senior engineer with the council, said a ban on five-axle vehicles – of which some 1,200 cross Slane bridge each day – would see 800 vehicles moving to other roads.
Councillors were told 20 per cent of HGVs using Slane bridge did so to avoid the toll on the M1 and that another 25 per cent was N2 traffic that could transfer to the M1. The study found five-axle HGVs accounted for 47 per cent of goods vehicles through the village every day. Construction traffic accounted for just over 9 per cent, buses for 4 per cent and shipping containers and liquid transport a further 5 per cent.