CLARE COUNTY Council has insisted there was no viable alternative to the erection of a motorway-style crash barrier on a 15th-century bridge over the river Shannon entering the picturesque village of O’Briensbridge, Co Clare.
A local community group maintains the bridge has been “defaced and vandalised by the provision of an obscene double-tier crash barrier”, which it described as “very offensive and ugly” and “not appropriate to a 15th-century heritage bridge”.
The bridge has repeatedly been struck by vehicles, particularly articulated lorries, which must negotiate a turn as they cross the structure. It was likely to continue to be struck in the future, according to a council engineer.
The community group’s chairman, Michael Murtagh, said: “The anger that is felt by our community is not helped by the fact that the community group made proposals on an appropriate crash barrier that would be environmentally friendly to the bridge and its heritage. “We even furnished photographs of log-enclosed crash barriers that are used up and down the country in heritage and scenic locations. These barriers are a few bob dearer but are warranted and would be justified in our situation,” he said in a letter to the council.
“Two stone pillars and a presentable rail fence that were damaged from time to time by large artic[ulated] HGV lorries as they tried to negotiate the sharp bend on the bridge have also been replaced by this very offensive barrier,” Mr Murtagh added.
However, senior executive engineer Hugh McGrath said the new barrier was a “normal (N2) containment type” and, from the council’s experience “it is likely that it will continue to be struck regularly until such time as HGVs can be prevented from using the bridge”.
In considering the most appropriate material to use, he said the council had to take account of the “material type, flexibility, durability and retained integrity with safety the paramount consideration as well as heritage, aesthetics and cost”.
“While timber-clad barriers have been used in particular locations, most often in woodland or mountain scenic routes, it was not deemed suitable in this instance,” he said, adding that the cost of such a barrier would be “typically over three times that of steel”.
“While most slow-speed impacts to steel are capable of being absorbed by steel, minor impact on timber cladding would require replacement of timber sections, with the associated maintenance logistics and ongoing costs,” Mr McGrath said.
He added that the council’s heritage officer, Risteard Ua Cróinín, was not in favour of a timber-based solution on aesthetic grounds, “which we agreed with”, and there was also a real concern about the long-term durability of timber. “In summary, we were obliged to act on a matter of serious concern for the safety of the public. Our solution was determined following careful consideration of all the various and valid inputs, including that of the local community group,” he added.
Mr Ua Cróinín agreed the new barrier was “not attractive”, but said wood would not be “in keeping with a stone bridge”. Steel appeared to be the only suitable material from a safety perspective.
