Archives

Drainage & Road Resurfacing On Kickham Street, Thurles, Postponed Until January.

As the remnants of storm Agnes rages here over Thurles Town presently, as was stated on August 8th, 2023 last “By failing to plan, you plan to fail”. Same is a message we have been preaching since February 20th 2022, with regards the cleaning of Thurles road drains.

It is therefore not surprising that we watched Tipperary Co. Council ground staff, out in the middle of the storm, running sewage rods up a blocked road drainpipe, in Kickham Street, undertaking work which should have been completed during the previous summer month.

Work today (September 27th, 2023) being undertaken by Tipperary Co. Council ground staff, unblocking drains which should have been completed during the previous summer month.

It has become quite obvious to our readers that Thurles has no person taking responsibility for the overall administration of our town, over recent years, with weeds currently allowed to grow up through our footpaths, through blocked drain, with no flowerbeds and tubs planted and no potholes filled.

Nine inch high grass growing from a blocked drain on Kickham Street, Thurles, Co. Tipperary.

Yet again, we learn this morning that the promised upgrading of the necessary new drainage system and road surface on Kickham Street, east of Thurles, which was due for upgrading this month (September), has once again been postponed.

It is unlikely that Mr Joe MacGrath (Chief Executive at Tipperary County Council) who visited Thurles yesterday afternoon; drove his high powered Mercedes up to Thurles Barry’s Bridge, to view what he promised would be repaired by end of May last; a project which once again was an unattainable or fanciful hope aimed at fobbing off residents, in what is now the most neglected and mismanaged Town in Co. Tipperary.
Indeed, had Mr MacGrath driven up Kickham Street, he could have viewed at firsthand the loose tarmac gravel, being ricocheted from the wheels of heavy vehicles onto the ankles of otherwise absorbed, oblivious pedestrians.

Loose tarmac gravel ricocheted from the wheels of heavy vehicle on Kickham Street, Thurles, Co. Tipperary.

In answer to a query by Thurles.Info, sent to local elected Fianna Fáil Councillor Mr Sean Ryan, quote, “When can the residents of Kickham Street (N75) expect the road surface and drainage to be upgraded? You already stated September, but this is now unlikely. What is the delay?”

Mr Ryan quickly replied, quote: “I asked this question at the last (Council) meeting. I’m told the upgrade works for the N75 will take place in January. When I get a start date George, I’ll let you know. As you know these works will be done by the TII, (Transport Infrastructure Ireland).” Signed Sean.

Kickham Street remains the busiest main road carrying all of the heavy traffic leading west into Thurles Town and also exiting the town on to the motorway running east of Thurles. It is travelled constantly by our two inactive resident TD’s, namely Mr Michael Lowry & Mr Jackie Cahill, and was used yesterday by Minister for Education Ms Norma Foley, who arrived into Thurles to launch “Much Ado About Nothing”.

Facebooktwitterlinkedinmail

Breaking News: Serious Motorway Collision 1km From Urlingford Exit.

At approximately 7:00 am this morning, following very heavy rainfall, an accident has occurred on the motorway, roughly 1km from the Urlingford, Co. Kilkenny exit on the M8.

A large number of emergency service personnel, including Gardaí, Fire & Ambulance services have promptly arrived at the scene.

Motorists travelling from Thurles in the direction of Dublin are advised to divert via Two-Mile-Borris unto the old R639 road, before rejoining the motorway outside of Urlingford.

Motorists are also advised to drive with extreme caution today given forecasted heavy rainfall and poor visibility and otherwise poor driving conditions.

Traffic flow is only now beginning to move slowly forward.

Facebooktwitterlinkedinmail

Temporary Traffic Management On N62 Slievenamon Road, Thurles, Begins Tomorrow.

Parents of students attending schools in Thurles, and travelling from the south, northwards on the N62, please take note.

Tipperary County Council are advising the public that they will operate temporary traffic management measures on the N62 Slievenamon Road, Thurles, commencing from tomorrow Monday September 25th possibly concluding next month on Monday October 23rd.
Same disruption is to facilitate works on a section of the footpath currently existing between Lidl Supermarket entrance and the River Suir walkway.

Pictures show section of the N62 on Slievenamon Road Thurles and the widened entrance to the Thurles River Suir once pedestrian walkway only.
Pictures: G. Willoughby.

These works are part of a further realignment of the road already partially constructed and then stalled some 11 months ago, and will include the removal and relocation of an ESB pole and a portion of existing footpath, while also installing a 100 metre cycle path from the present existing traffic lights on the southbound lane of the N62.

While the removal and relocation of the historic lime stone half circle walls at the existing River Suir walkway entrance have been welcomed, the failure to replace the existing turnstile (swinging gates) has caused great anger locally.
We are informed that the National Transport Authority has introduced new non-compliant access control points, affecting all newly modified Active Travel Routes and require a minimum of an 1800mm clear opening, on all public entrances.
This enlarged opening now permits not just walkers unto this pathway, but also horses pulling buggies, which are then driven into the river Suir, together with motorcycles and adult electric scooters, all now regular visitors using this former pedestrian only area.

Word of warning: If you are using this walkway in the company of small children, please do take care, as unsupervised children can easily run out onto the roadway, into the ever fast moving traffic operating on this section of the N62.

To facilitate this work, a section of the footpath between the new Lidl entrance and the River Suir Walkway is expected to remain closed, including the River Suir walkway itself.

Facebooktwitterlinkedinmail

Phased Road Closure Affecting Kilcommon, Thurles, Co. Tipperary This Month.

To facilitate the installation of hot rolled asphalt as part of road maintenance; Tipperary County Council have made the decision to operate a phased closures of routes R497 and R503, at Knockmaroe Junction, Kilcommon, Thurles, with effect from 7:00am on Monday, September 18th, until 7:00pm on Friday September 22nd.

Alternative routes for motorists are as follows:

R503 West Bound:
From Thurles to Limerick: via R498 to Nenagh and M7 to Limerick.

From Milestone to Kilcommon: South via R497 and L1152 to Boulanunane and north to the R503 at Loughbrack via L5108.

R503 East Bound:
From Kilcommon to Thurles: via L2266 to Reiska, R497 to Dolla, R499 to Ballinamona and R498 to Thurles.

R497 North & South Bound:
Via R503 to McCormack’s Cross and L2266 to Kilcommon and Reiska and vice versa.

Facebooktwitterlinkedinmail

An Garda Síochána Tipperary Publish Shocking Statistics.

Within the past 30 days, 26 people have been killed on Irish roads.
This is indeed an alarming number of lives lost in such a short period of time.

So far this year, in the past 8 months there have been 114 fatal road traffic collisions here in the Republic of Ireland.


Same road traffic collisions have resulted in the deaths of 124 people, same categorised as follows :-

* 44 motorists
* 30 passengers ✓
* 27 pedestrians
* 17 motorcyclists ✓
* 3 cyclists
* 3 e-scooters ✓

These people are young and old, from different places and backgrounds, but all have lost their lives far too soon.


We must all take better care of ourselves and one another, on our roads.

Facebooktwitterlinkedinmail