Gardaí issue traffic warning to Westmeath motorists ahead of Ploughing Championships

Major diversions will be in place around Tullamore and Screggan as more than 80,000 people are expected to attend the National Ploughing Championships next week.

Westmeath motorists heading towards Offaly have been warned to plan their journeys carefully as An Garda Síochána prepares for a major traffic management operation during the National Ploughing Championships.

The three-day event takes place at Screggan, Tullamore, from Tuesday, September 15, to Thursday, September 17, with more than 80,000 visitors expected each day.

Gardaí have advised motorists who are not attending the championships to avoid the N52 between Tullamore and Birr, as well as all approach roads to Mucklagh village and the event site.

The restrictions will be in place from 6am on Tuesday, September 15, until 8pm on Thursday, September 17.

Motorists travelling from Westmeath and other parts of the north and north-west are being asked to follow the designated Pink Route rather than relying on normal routes or satellite navigation.

Traffic coming from the north and north-west will travel through Mullingar and Tyrellspass, before being directed onto the old N6 road. Gardaí are specifically asking motorists not to proceed onto the M6 motorway at Tyrellspass, as this could result in traffic merging with vehicles travelling from Dublin.

Traffic will then be directed through Kilbeggan and onto the Clara to Tullamore Road, before proceeding along the designated route towards the event site.

Those following the Pink Route will be directed to the designated Pink Car Parks on the northern side of the Ploughing Championships site.

Gardaí say the colour-coded system has been designed to keep traffic from different parts of the country on separate routes and reduce congestion around Tullamore.

Motorists travelling from the west and north-west on the M6 are also being asked to take particular care. Traffic travelling westbound towards the championships should exit the M6 at Junction 6, Moate, rather than continuing to Junction 5 at Kilbeggan.

From Moate, motorists will be assisted by Gardaí through Ballycumber and Rahan before reaching parking close to the event grounds.

Gardaí have also issued a strong warning about the use of satellite navigation systems.

Drivers attending the event are being asked not to rely on satnav or other similar devices, as they may not contain the temporary diversions and traffic arrangements being introduced specifically for the championships.

Instead, visitors are advised to consult the official traffic management plan before setting off and to follow directions from Gardaí and event stewards while travelling.

The traffic management plan includes an interactive map and detailed, colour-coded routes for visitors travelling from different parts of the country.

Other designated routes include the Green Route for traffic from the west, the Brown Route for Limerick, Kerry and the south-west, the Blue Route for Cork and Munster, the Purple Route for Dublin and Leinster, the Grey Route for the south-east and the Yellow Route for Carlow and the south-east.

Gardaí are asking all road users to cooperate with the traffic management operation to allow traffic to move as freely as possible.

Real-time traffic updates will be issued through the Garda Press Office and the official An Garda Síochána social media channels, including @gardatraffic and @gardainfo on X.

For Westmeath motorists, the key message is to plan ahead, allow additional time for journeys and follow the designated routes rather than attempting to find alternative routes independently.

Visitors can check the official traffic management information before travelling through the Garda website and the National Ploughing Association website.