Loman Street works in Trim almost complete

Works on Loman Street in Trim are nearing completion and the road is expected to be open in the next week. Town Engineer Vincent Collins told local town councillors at their monthly meeting on Tuesday of last week that the macadam surface was to commence the next day and, when pushed for a re-opening date, he said two weeks. Cllr Vincent McHugh raised concerns that the fire appliance would not be able to get through and suggested that they do a trial run before the final surface goes on the road. 'Before it is done, bring the fire engine and see; it will stop people saying it won"t get up and down. We should try it first. If it didn"t work, it is a big job to pull it asunder afterwards but it is not a big job now,' he said. Cllr Trevor Golden said there had also been concerns about High Street and whether a hearse could swing around a corner but said that when the road was finished, it looked a lot bigger. Cllr Ronan McKenna said he noticed that, coming out of Church Lane, the kerbs were dropped on the far side of the street. He said: 'It is very important that the fire trucks get up and down but it does not happen every day. The kerbs being lowered should facilitate them.' Cllr McKenna asked once the tarmac is done, what was left to go to get Loman Street in circulation again. Mr Collins replied that there was some work to be done on the footpaths and road painting. When Cllr Gerry Reilly asked about a timeframe, Mr Collins said that cars would 'be driving up it in two weeks though every man might not be gone off the street'. The road closure concluded on Friday 27th June and councillors asked if this has been extended. Mr Collins said it had not been. He said they could not open the road yet but were endeavouring to open it as quickly as they could. Cllr Ray Butler said that businesses are suffering and asked if they would open the road when the tarmacadam is done while they are waiting for the line painting but Mr Collins said he did not want to open it and close it again. He understood that the line painters were ready to go in once the surface was finished. 'If you are holding me to a date, then two weeks, but we will try to get it open sooner,' added the town engineer.