More traffic delays as Operation Fanacht enters a second day

There are likely to be further delays on Thursday as Operation Fanacht continues into a second day.

There were long tailbacks during rush hour on routes into Dublin on Thursday morning as a result of garda checkpoints.

The M4, which saw delays as long as eight kilometres on Wednesday, was busy in both directions.

Traffic was heaviest on the M4 between junction 5 Leixlip and junction 6 Celbridge westbound though not as busy as it had been on Wednesday.

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The M11 was busy towards Bray while the M2 in the direction of Ashbourne towards Dublin and the M1 near Julianstown in both directions all experienced more traffic than normal.

Outside Dublin, there was heavy traffic on approach roads into Limerick city.

Gardaí set up Operation Fanacht to implement new Covid-19 restrictions on Wednesday. Motorists are advised not to make unnecessary journeys or travel outside their own counties and many were turned back on Wednesday.

The N7 out of Dublin was moving smoothly on Thursday morning though it is one of two motorways where the layout has been changed to facilitate HGV drivers.

In a statement, gardaí said there have been alterations to checkpoints on the N7 (Junction 6 at Castlewarden) and M2 (junction 2 at St Margarets).

A new traffic layout has been introduced at these checkpoints which provides a dedicated heavy goods vehicle (HGV) only lane to minimise delay or disruption to business distribution. Signage will be in place prior to reaching the checkpoints and the right hand lane (lane 3) will be available for HGVs only.

“We would ask all motorists to follow the signage and that HGV drivers reduce their speed as they approach the Garda checkpoints as they still may be required to stop,” a Garda spokesman said.

More than 130 static checkpoints were erected on motorways and other arterial routes around the country on Wednesday morning to ensure people were not travelling outside their home county unless absolutely necessary, under the latest Covid-19 restrictions.

Garda officers believe the congestion on Wednesday, leading to additional 45 minute delays in some parts of the country, would dissuade many of those who decided to travel on Wednesday from doing so again on Thursday or in coming weeks during the period of Level 3 coronavirus restrictions.