Suspending motorway regulations

Carawaystick

The river Avoca burst her banks in Arklow on Saturday and the bridge was closed. The alternative non-motorway route via the Vale road to Avoca village was blocked by more than a meter of water, one car I saw had muck over the dash from being stuck in the flood. The alternative alternative route via Kilcara would be about a 30km route.

The M11 wasn't affected and was open all the time. but pedestrians or cyclists couldn't use this legally, effectively cutting the town in two.

So can Motorway restrictions be suspended to allow access in these cases?

L1011

Roads Act 1993 doesn't appear to have any specific provisions for it; reads to me as if the Minister could order it though.

Would it come under following the directions of a Garda if the Guards ordered the diversion?

Stark

The Gardaí opened the M8 to non motorway traffic before when the R639 around Fermoy was closed. I'm not sure if they had legal precedent to do so though.

Cookie_Monster

The M11 gorey bypass was closed for a cycle race at one point recently also.

(may still have been N11 at that point)

L1011

The race was a week before the redesignation I believe.