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.

Mr O’Neill, who was entrusted to deliver Dublin’s Spire over a year ago, said this job was far bigger.

When Cork-based MSL Engineering invited O’Neill Haulage to quote for the contract, Mr O’Neill had to devise a suitable route from Carlow to Mallow.

Four lorries, each taking 250 tonnes, are transporting the 1,000 tonnes of factory equipment. The convoy is travelling at about 8km/h.

These lorries carry ten times the payload of typical lorries. “The lorries are 38 metres in length, 5.5m wide. One load is 6.5m high; the other load is 7.2m high,” said Mr O’Neill.

“On the road from Carlow to Abbeyleix we will only average about five miles an hour,” he said.

Traffic lights at Abbeyleix had to be dismantled and this evening the convoy will take an hour to go though Cashel as it’s too tall for the by-pass.

The routes to watch

Today, the convoy takes the N8 through Durrow, Johnstown, Urlingford, Littleton and Horse and Jockey. It will pass through Cashel this evening.

At 7am tomorrow the operation sets off for Mitchelstown, along the N8, R687, N24 through New Inn, Rathkeevin and Cahir.

The final leg starts at 7am on Sunday along the N73, N72, N20, R638 and R619 to Mallow.