Kells to examine HGV ban in wake of M3 opening

The need for by-laws to prevent heavy good vehicles passing through Kells and the need for an aggressive marketing plan for the town have been called for in the wake of the opening of the new M3 motorway. Kells Town Council will have to look at introducing by-laws to prevent HGVs (heavy goods vehicles) driving through the town, according to the council cathaoirleach, Cllr Brian Curran. He said that while there was a noticible drop in traffic through Kells over the weekend, there were still trucks travelling through the town, "It is unacceptqable that 40 and 50-tonne trucks are continuing to drive through the town and we need to prevent all lorries, except those delivering to the town, travelling though Kells," he said. He welcomed the opening of the motorway and he said that, in the long term, it would allow Kells become the town it was meant to be. Cllr Brian Collins also welcomed the huge drop in traffic through the town and the ease of movement at junctions. He said now that the motorway was in place, there were great opportunities for Kells and they would have to make sure that marketing the area and attracting business and tourism was done right. "We are only 30 minutes from Blanchardstown now and the motorway will have a transforming effect on Kells if we do it right. We need to get aggressive with marketing," he said. Cllr Collins said there were a number of problems with signage on the new motorway and the NRA hadn't consulted the town council about signposting. "You would need to be very local to know where you are going when there are just signs for Kells North and Kells South. Carlanstown isn't signposted on the N52 bypass at all," he added. Cllr Collins noted that signposting at the Navan North interchange directed traffic off the new motorway and through Athboy. "Surely now that we have a motorway, traffic should be directed to Delvin off the motorway and onto the N52 bypass at Kells," he said.