Sugar firm’s transfer tests motorists’ patience

TRAFFIC chaos and ESB power cuts chart the progress of the country’s biggest road haulage operation.

At 10am yesterday the slow-moving 20-vehicle convoy left the former sugar factory in Carlow for Mallow, taking over 1,000 tonnes of equipment to the north Cork facility.

Traffic diversions are in place and ESB crews are out in force switching off power and lowering lines to allow the huge convoy to pass. An ESB spokesman said the timings of the power outages was impossible to predict as network crews were travelling with the convoy and lowering lines as required. “It’s been a total headache from day one,” said haulier Jimmy O’Neill, who is overseeing the equipment transfer.