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Tag Archives: M18

M18 in Clare closed after van goes on fire while in motion

The M18 motorway has been closed southbound between junction 14 Barefield and junction 13 Tulla Road while emergency services deal with a vehicle fire. Units of Clare County Fire and Rescue Service from Ennis and Shannon stations are dealing with the incident. Gardaí are also at the scene. A van is understood to have burst into flames while travelling towards Ennis shortly after 11am. The driver of vehicle managed to pull into the hard shoulder and jump out of his van to safety. The southbound lanes of the motorway have been closed while the northbound carriageway is not affected. Fire crews have brought the fire under control and it’s expected that one lane could be reopened to traffic once the incident has been dealt with. The remainder of the southbound carriageway will be reopened once the vehicle has been removed from the scene.

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BREAKING: Traffic disruption after car goes on fire on M18

EMERGENCY services are dealing with an incident on the M18 after a car went on fire on the motorway. The passenengers of the vehicle thankfully escaped before the blaze got out of hand. The car was ablaze on the northbound carriageway of the M18 on the Ennis side of Exit 11 this evening. Traffic disruption is expected in the area as emergency services deal with the incident.

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Lack of services turning side of M18 into ‘a public toilet’

THE lack of motorway service stations is forcing people to turn the side of Clare’s stretch of the M18 into a public toilet, a local authority member has asserted.  Offering to produce video evidence of the practice of public urination along the M18 and N18, Councillor PJ Ryan appealed to the Council to ask Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) and the Transport Minister to install public services on the Clare stretch of the motorway. “It has been brought to may notice that quite a lot of vehicles cars on N18/M18 are using side of motorway when they need to go to the toilet,” he said. “Making a public toilet out the motorway is a disgrace It is mostly on the south-bound side that there is the problem. The north-bound stretch has services at Birdhill. Clare County Council needs to do something.” Seconding the motion, Councillor Pat McMahon agreed that the Tipperary stretch of the motorway has better services. “In Tipperary, there …

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Fourth times the charm for Supermacs’ motorway plaza plan?

SUPERMACS’ owner Pat McDonagh has lodged the newest planning application in a long-running attempt to develop a motorway service station on the outskirts of Ennis. A planning application has been lodged with Clare County Council for the proposed development at Kilbreckan, Doora. This is the fast-food chain’s fourth application for a Barack Obama Plaza style development adjacent to Junction 12 of the M18. Details of the proposal include the construction of a service station building with convenience shop, food court, staff facilities, canopy, fuel facilities, parking and circulation space, children’s play area, picnic area and access provision. The development application also includes plans for infrastructural works, public lighting, signage, landscaping, internal fencing, electrical substation, 16 electric car charging points, roof mounted solar panels, storm water runoff, petrol interceptors and attenuation system, on-site wastewater treatment plant including access road, pumping station and connection to public foul sewer, drainage improvement works, underground fuel storage tanks, rain water harvesting system, connection to public …

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Hailstorm leads to single car collision on M18

Gardaí are asking motorists to take extra precautions when travelling in inclement weather following a single vehicle collision on the south bound lane of the M18 just short of Junction 9 at Carrigoran. The collision occurred during a hailstorm, which led to a single car sliding across the two lanes of the motorway. No one was injured in the crash but traffic had built up at this location as a result. Congestion is now easing as gardaí deal with the incident. Inspector Kieran Ruane, of Ennis Garda Station has asked motorists to reduce their speed in periods of heavy rain or hail and to maintain an increased distance from the car in front.  

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Gardaí confirm fatality following M18 collision

GARDAÍ are appealing for witnesses following a fatal collision on the M18 southbound between J12 and J13, Gort to Ennis Road this afternoon. At approximately 1.20pm Gardaí and emergency services were called to the scene of a collision involving a truck and a car on the M18. The sole occupant of the car, a man in his 60s, was pronounced dead at the scene a short time later. The male driver of the truck was uninjured. The scene is currently being examined by Garda Forensic Collision Investigators. Local traffic diversions are expected to remain in place until later this evening. Investigating Gardaí are appealing for witnesses, anyone with information is asked to contact Ennis Garda Station on (065) 6848100 or the Garda Confidential Line 1800 666 111. Jessica Quinn

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McDonagh planning new motorway service area

A NEW application for a major motorway service area that could employ 100 people is just around the corner, Pat McDonagh told The Clare Champion this week. The Supermac’s founder is also involved with the Barack Obama Plaza in Moneygall and the Galway Plaza off the M6 between Galway and Dublin. While a previous application for a similar development adjacent to Junction 12 at Killoo, Clarecastle, off the M18 was withdrawn, Mr McDonagh said another one is coming and he is confident it will be positively received. “We’d be very positive. We’re going to be reapplying in the next few weeks. The architects, engineers and consultants are working on it now at the moment. “The application should be submitted in the next three to four weeks. Then it has to go through the due process and it takes eight to nine weeks approximately after that. Sometimes they look for further information. It’ll be about three months or so before the …

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Garda warning on dangerous roads

Gardaí have advised motorists to slow down and drive with care as rain, sleet and hail over the past couple of days has led to treacherous road conditions. On Thursday afternoon there were a number of crashes on both the northbound and southbound carriages of the M18 motorway between Crusheen and Gort. The incidents resulted in road closures and diversions. Met Éireann is warning there may be more bad weather to come.

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