'Emergency job' needed in Laois village as footpaths damaged by trucks
Trucks have caused severe damage to footpaths in a Laois village by parking on them, a local councillor has argued.
Councillor John King has requested that Laois County Council repair the footpath at O’Daly Terrace in Rathdowney which has been badly damaged by heavy goods vehicles parking on it.
Speaking at the recent meeting of the Borris-in-Ossory/Mountmellick MD, Cllr King said that the tarmac footpath cannot handle the weight of the trucks which weigh between 20 and 30 tonnes.
The weight being exerted on the footpath is causing it to “just go down the middle,” the Rathdowney councillor explained.
Laois County Council’s Senior Executive Engineer, Rory O'Callaghan, informed Cllr King that the footpath at O’Daly Terrace is not included for repair works in the 2026 footpath works programme.
Instead, it will be considered for inclusion in the 2027 programme.
“We cannot wait until 2027 in this case. It’s an emergency job that has to be done,” Cllr King argued.
He suggested that a sign be erected which would prohibit trucks from parking on the footpath.
Noting that the footpath in question is only around 5 metres in length, Cllr King said: “A small thing would fix it. It has to be done, otherwise it will get worse.”
The motion was backed by Cllr James Kelly, although he pointed out that people who need the trucks for work must be provided with parking spaces to allow them to do their job.
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