Clare County Council says safety at bridges in the county must be its number one priority.
It comes as the local authority issues a weight restriction on a bridge near Meelick, the latest such measure in the county.
Farmers in the area have expressed concern about the impact on them, as Clare FM’s Fiona McGarry reports:
Stonepark Bridge sits on a key road into Meelick from the Limerick side of the village, close to the national school and church.
It’s also a busy route, just a few kilometres from Limerick City, but an audit of the 1950s-built bridge, carried out by Clare County Council just before Christmas, has revealed serious structural concerns.
Urgent remedial works are now required, and until they are finished, a weight restriction has been put in place, prohibiting vehicles of 7.5 tonnes or more from crossing the bridge.
Senior Engineer with Clare County Council John Leahy says this is necessary.
But while that work is going on, farmers and school buses travelling that road will be impacted.
With the weight restriction, cars and jeeps will be able to pass as normal but any heavier vehicle will not be able to.
Local farmer Pa O’Brien has land either side of the bridge – he says it’s going to be a major headache for those working locally.
Meanwhile, Meelick Fianna Fáil Councillor Cathal Crowe, who lives near the bridge, is calling on the local authority to ensure the necessary works are carried out as quickly as possible.
