Julianstown Village Association has welcomed a council vote against introducing an immediate standalone ban on HGVs through the village, saying it strengthens the case for a wider traffic relief scheme.
According to the residents’ group, councillors in the Laytown-Bettystown Municipal District voted 5-2 at their latest meeting against a motion seeking an immediate restriction on Heavy Goods Vehicles through Julianstown.
The association said the majority supported the view that HGV traffic remains a significant concern for residents, but that restrictions should form part of a broader solution rather than being introduced before an alternative route is available.
The group views the decision as support for the Julianstown Traffic Relief Scheme, including the proposed western bypass.
Concern over traffic being pushed onto smaller roads
In its statement, Julianstown Village Association said the council executive had warned that introducing an HGV restriction in isolation could divert heavy vehicles onto smaller local and regional roads not designed to accommodate them.
The residents’ group said this reinforced the need for a comprehensive approach to traffic in the village.
A spokesperson said:
“People living in Julianstown Village welcome this vote and see it as implicit support for the Julianstown Traffic Relief scheme and the western bypass that is being advanced.
“We acknowledge and welcome the fact that all of our local representatives see impacts from heavy vehicles as a major impact on village residents and a significant part of the wider Julianstown traffic problem.”
The spokesperson added that the association welcomed what it described as recognition by the majority of councillors that an HGV restriction could not be dealt with in isolation.
“We therefore call on local representatives to continue to support a comprehensive solution through the immediate implementation of the Julianstown Traffic Relief scheme.”
Long-running traffic concerns
Traffic levels and road safety in Julianstown have been long-running concerns for residents, particularly because of the volume of through-traffic using the village.
The association has been campaigning for the wider Traffic Relief Scheme and proposed western bypass as a way of removing more heavy and through-traffic from the village rather than redirecting it onto unsuitable surrounding roads.
