IT’S MONDAY AND it’s time to go to work, school, college or wherever you have to go.
We’ll help you get there.
Morning folks and welcome to the week.
I’m Paul Hosford and I’ll be with you until after 9am bringing you all the morning’s traffic, travel and weather updates.
Spot anything? Email me: paulhosford@thejournal.ie or tips@thejournal.ie or tweet me: @PTHosford.
But not while driving, obviously.
Let’s start with the weather:
Met Éireann says it’s going to be dry at first in the main, though it is wet in Cork, Kilkenny and Athlone.
While it will be mild this morning, there will be outbreaks of rain and a drop in temperatures this afternoon.
If you’re travelling on a train to Belfast from Dublin today, be ready to grab a seat on a bus.
And if you’re in the Kingdom, bus transfers start today between Tralee and Killarney.
It may still be early, but volume is building on the M50.
This is the Red Cow junction:
If you’re on the bus, train or Luas, you might fancy having something to read.
How about this piece from Christina Finn’s series on Ireland’s longest-serving prisoner Jimmy Ennis?
Or, perhaps, the story of a teacher awarded €65,000 after the school she worked in hired a man who had previously sexually harassed her.
It’s also starting to get busy on N7 inbound. Here it is at Citywest:
Commenter Darragh DB O’Neill says it’s “a mess as usual” at Naas and Newbridge.
If you plan on heading southbound on the M50 past Blanchardstown – bad news.
There has been a collision on the road in the right lane, which will likely impact on traffic.
While your trip to work might not be great, this the view of TheJournal.ie’s Dan MacGuill, who is in Philadelphia.
His experience is similar to many across the eastern US.
Great news for commuters in Ireland’s cities today.
Transport Minister Pascal Donohoe will today launch an app that allows users top up their Leap Card.
No more running to the shop on the way to the bus stop, which is great.
More bad news on the M50.
A breakdown is being reported between Junction 12 Firhouse and Junction 13 Dundrum southbound.
In Cork, a car is broken down at the Dunkettle Interchange just after the northbound side of the Jack Lynch Tunnel.
That is having knock-on effects on the South Ring Road after Mahon.
More on that Leap Card app:
It will be available for Leap Card users with Near Field Communications (NFC)-enabled Android phones. iPhone owners will have to wait until Apple Pay launches here.
Finally, Android owners get something first! (Sorry, iPhone users).
This motorist in Alexandria, Virginia tries to dig his car out after a massive blizzard struck the eastern US.
Not sure what his plan is for the rest of the snow, though.
Three breakdowns are causing problems in Dublin and Kildare.
On the N4 outbound, a car has broken down on the M50 southbound slip road. Going the opposite direction on the same road, a car has broken down near J7 Maynooth.
On the N7, a car is broken down in the hard shoulder at Rathcoole.
While the crash on the M50 at Blanchardstown has been cleared, there’s some more bad news for motorists in the area.
A collision on the N3 is blocking the left lane.
Taking a glance at the departures board at Dublin, Shannon and Cork airports now and it’s all looking good.
No flights are currently listed as delayed and arrivals look largely the same. Even flights from the snow-hit eastern US are on time.
A car has broken down on Arran Quay on the south quays in Dublin. Traffic is having to use the bus lane to pass.
Emergency services are attending an incident in Dublin on Thomas Street.
In Galway, the Headford Road is busy. It seems like the Headford Road is always busy.
Traffic across the country this Monday morning would be described as “busy, but moving”.
Except for the N3.
The breakdown at the Jack Lynch Tunnel in Cork has been cleared, which should free up the South Ring Road.
The N3 is having a bad day.
No sooner had one collision been cleared than this happened.
If you’re in the area, be careful around Baldonnell. There are reports of a fuel spill on the Outer Ring Road.
Right folks, that’s it from me. If you’re still travelling, stay safe.
If you’ve made it where you need to go, have a great day.
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