11 May 2003: Kildare County Council has been accused of not complying with the wishes of councillors by refusing to create a weight limit to discourage HGVs from travelling through Maynooth.
The suggestion was based on the opening of the link at INTEL to the M4, which according to Cllr John McGinley afforded 'a great opportunity' to take north/south through HGV traffic out of Main Street, Maynooth.
On a trail basis when engineers opposed the suggestion, Cllr McGinley agreed to the erection of signs at Blacklion and at Barretts directing through traffic to the M4.
But at the May Area Meeting the engineers repeated that a weight restriction cannot be imposed on the Regional Road through Maynooth.
The report said the council accepted consultants' advice that the provision of such signage at the Maynooth Interchange and at Blacklion 'will be ineffective, ambiguous and confusing to drivers'. It said trucks which use this route are regular travellers and 'are fully aware that the most direct route is through the town' and that expenditure on additional signage 'will be a waste of finance'.
Cllr McGinley expressed his outrage at the complete reversal of a decision agreed by the Councillors previously and he stated that if the signs were not put in place he would re-submit his motion on placing a ban on through traffic.
He noted that such bans on HGVs through towns are the norm in France and went on to say that there was not much point in building a motorway link at INTEL costing E48m and then not do everything possible to get HGV’s onto it.
"Having them continuously coming through the town results in serious traffic congestion as well as tearing up the roadway at the square junction. The repairs here will cost the Council E14,000 this year."
Following a heated debate the County Engineer stated that he would re-consider the erection of a sign at Blacklion.
