Cars becoming airborne on Laois bridge

Locals are used to ‘the whirr’ sound of airborne cars near a Laois bridge, a Councillor has said.  

Cllr PJ Kelly likened a wall near the bridge to a “jigsaw puzzle” due to crash damage. He made the comments at the latest meeting of Portarlington Graiguecullen Municipal District. 

Cllr Kelly put down a motion asking “that Laois County Council investigate the possibility of reducing the speed limit from 80 km down to 60 km for 200m either side of Carn Railway Bridge on the Emo/Mountmellick Road as this would reduce the amount of bad accidents that happen there.”

In a written response, Senior Engineer in the Roads Department, Paul McLoughlin said: “The Road Design Section will investigate the matter including the carrying out of a review of the available collision data for this location. The outcome will inform the appropriate interventions required including consideration for a speed limit reduction under the next countywide speed limit review.”

Cllr Kelly said there is a "sharp pinch" on the bridge that makes speeding cars leave the road. There are about six holes in the wall on the Mountmellick side of the bridge and the situation is the same on the Emo side, he said.  

“When the cars go over that at 80 or over, the car leaves the road for a stretch of yards before it lands again, and there is a slight turn on that bridge. That being the reason then that some of these cars when they land they lose control and they hit the wall on that side,” he told the council meeting.  

“The evidence is there, all the holes in the wall all along. Same on the opposite side,” said Cllr Kelly.  

“Some of the locals there tell me that you can actually hear the whirr of the car when it leaves the road before it lands again. That’s the issue. If the speed limit was put back it would alter that greatly,” Cllr Kelly explained. 

Cllr Kelly likened the damaged wall to a “jigsaw puzzle” and said cars have to take their time crossing the bridge.  

Cllr Aidan Mullins said the “council’s hands are tied” in relation to setting speed limits even in areas where they know it is necessary for safety. Councillors were previously told they can’t set speed limits but would have an input when limits were reviewed every five years.  

“We are locked in for five years to a speed limit that may not be appropriate. It doesn’t make sense on any level,” Cllr Mullins said. 

“It is totally inappropriate and may be dangerous,” he pointed out. 

Cllr Mullins proposed that the council find out who is responsible for the speed limit reviews and send a letter asking for changes to be made so councils can alter limits if need be for safety reasons.