People will have to travel to Drogheda to get a new driving licence from next week

Motorists hoping to get a new driving licence will have to travel to Drogheda personally from next week.

A new system of issuing and renewing licences comes into force next Tuesday with a smaller network of offices than before.

There will now be just 34 centres for renewing licences and issuing learner permits, compared to the current network of 55 motor tax offices, which will cease issuing licences after Friday.

The sole office for Louth will be located at the Southgate Shopping Centre in Drogheda.

Under the new rules applicants for a licence will have to travel there to process it as under the strict new security system customers have to apply face-to-face and have their photo taken at the centre.

The move has been criticised by the Irish Postmasters’ Union, who said thousands would be inconvenienced by the changes right across the country.

Already there is a major backlog in Louth on new licences being issued with the local motor tax office closing from 2pm every day from Monday November 4^th for an estimated period of four weeks to deal with the issue. This is despite the fact that licences will no longer be issued from here as of this Friday.

The new centre in Drogheda will open from 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday and 9am to 2pm on Saturday.

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• Motor tax office to close early from next month (talkofthetown.ie)

Motor tax office to close early from next month

The local motor tax office will close to the public from 2pm each each day for four weeks from Monday November 4^th to facilitate the clearing of the backlog in driving licences.

Louth County Council announced the early closure yesterday.

In a statement the local authority said they regret any inconvenience the early closure will have on people but said it was necessary.

“The office will resume normal hours as soon as is practical,” read the statement.

Left hand turn at Xerox junction to close temporarily next month

The left hand turn which will be closed from 8pm to 6am for a short period next month

Louth County Council plan to close the left turn lane (northbound towards Dundalk town centre) of the N52 at the intersection of the N52 and R132 (known locally as the Xerox junction) for a length of 50 metres between 8pm and 6am each day from Monday November 11^th to Saturday November 16^th.

This is to facilitate road construction works. Diversions will be in place via the Avenue Road roundabout towards Hill Street Bridge.

Car explodes in Blackrock

A car exploded in a blaze of flames early this morning on the Rock Road in Blackrock.

Thanks to Paul Donegan via Broadsheet.ie for the pictures.

Lorry on fire on M1 motorway, delays expected

 

This is the scene on the M1 motorway close to the Carrickdale Hotel at present after a lorry caught fire.

The driver is reported to be uninjured but delays are to be expected with the Fire Service due on the scene and the debris set to be cleared in the coming hours.

Thanks to Chris Clarke for the pictures.

Motorway closed for four hours after truck catches fire

Local firefighters spent four hours battling a fire on the M1 motorway last night.

Members of Dundalk, Ardee and Dunleer Fire Service were called to the incident at junction 14 around 10pm.

A trailer of a lorry had caught fire and took some time to extinguish and clear the area. As a result, a portion of the motorway was closed for a period, which had an impact on traffic levels on some of the back roads for a time.

It’s that time of the year again

The Dundalk Solemn Novena to St Gerard Majella gets underway next Tuesday and will run until Wednesday October 16th in St Joseph’s Redemptorist Church, Dundalk.

This is always a hugely popular event with masses each day from 7am to 10.30pm. All the major dates are listed above and motorists are advised to note that traffic restrictions and delays will be expected over the eight days of the novena.

Improvements planned to Bellurgan Embankment

Louth County Council plan to carry out improvement works to the Bellurgan Embankment in the coming months.

The improvement works shall comprise the provision of the access road, phased placement of fill to raise the embankment crest level, the erection of replacement fencing along the boundaries affected by the proposed works and the relocation of the embankment toe drain.

Plans went on view of the works on Wednesday in the Louth County Council offices on the St Alphonsus Road and will be on view until Wednesday November 13^th.

Submissions on the matter are required before Wednesday November 27^th at 5pm.

Several injured in Dundalk crashes

Five people were injured in a two car collision on the Inner Relief Road in Dundalk yesterday evening.

The incident happened at around 5.45pm on the Avenue Road roundabout but none of the injuries were said to be life threatening.

Radio station LMFM also reported that a pedestrian was injured in a second road accident in Dundalk.

Meanwhile, at the Market Square

The Dundalk Democrat jobs twitter account has posted the above picture of what appears to be donut tyre marks at the Market Square this morning.

It appears someone must have went joyriding in the centre of Dundalk last night.

Apart from being disgraceful, surely with CCTV they can’t be expected to get away with this?

Source: Dundalk Jobs (Twitter)