Drivers taking unnecessary risks to pass slow machinery on Laois road

A meeting was told slow moving machinery is leading to people taking unnecessary risks on the road between Mountmellick and Portlaoise. 

The comments were made by Bobby Delaney at the latest Laois Joint Policing Committee meeting. 

“I am really concerned as I travel that road at least three times a day backwards and forwards. The biggest problem I see at the moment is slow moving machinery travelling at less than 40 kilometres per hour, machinery such as farm machinery, construction equipment. These poor devils on those tractors have no place to pull in and the traffic builds up behind them,” Mr Delaney explained.  

“I have read in the local paper there is going to be a lot of money spent on the road in the coming years,” he said.  

“I can see it daily people taking very big risks taking on two and three cars at a time because they are under pressure. The poor person driving the tractor can not pull in. They have no place to go, they are getting lights flashed at them and beeped when they go by them. That road, I am travelling it for well over 50 years, there has been no improvement as regards safety on that road,” he added.  

Laois County Council Chief Executive John Mulholland said €2 million is to be spent on the road this year to improve the road surface. 

“What you have suggested is very reasonable and practical so if we can, we will talk to the TII(Transport Infrastructure Ireland) regarding the provision for pull-in areas,” said Mr Mulholland.  

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“Every little bit will help on the road pending, if it ever happens, the development of an N80 realignment from the north of Mountmellick down to Portlaoise,” he said. 

Mr Mulholland noted safety on the road had been raised by Mr Delaney on a number of previous occasions.