Transport « Thurles Information

Single Vehicle Collision Gardaí Appeal For Witnesses

Tipperary Gardaí continue to appeal for witnesses following a single vehicle collision in County Tipperary.

At around 10:00pm on Wednesday January 27th, Gardaí in Cahir received a report of a road traffic collision at Boolahallagh, Newcastle, Co. Tipperary.

Gardaí located a grey Ford Focus which had gone off the road. However when they attended the accident scene nobody was found present in or around the vehicle.

Subsequently however, two male teenagers presented themselves at South Tipperary General Hospital in Clonmel. Both youths displayed injuries consistent with having been involved in a serious road traffic collision.

One of the young men, we understand, had serious injuries and was, following assessment, transferred to University Hospital Waterford, while the other is believed to have minor injuries.

The road remained closed to traffic yesterday with diversions in place.

Gardaí have appealed for witnesses, especially motorists who may have dash-cam footage, latter travelling on the Newcastle to Cappoquin Road on last Wednesday evening, between 5:00pm and 10:00pm.
Same are asked to contact Gardaí on Tel: (052) 7445630 or on the Garda Confidential Line on Tel: 1800 666 111.

TII – No Proper Road Repairs Imminent On Kickham Street

Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) jokingly claim “Our mission is to provide high quality transport infrastructure and services, delivering a better quality of life and supporting economic growth”.

Following representations to Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), they have confirmed today that necessary roadworks required to be carried out from the Mill Road Roundabout, through Kickham Street (The Pike) travelling west only as far as the Cathedral Street Roundabout; these same badly required roadworks will not be carried out within the next few months, despite the appalling and dangerous conditions being tolerated, not just by local residents, but pedestrians travelling on the areas footpaths.

The excuse of course is Covid-19 virus restrictions and the works currently being currently carried out on a now terminally ill Liberty Square; latter forced to give up the ghost with the introduction of Tipperary Council’s implemented car parking charges.

It would appear that TII employees are more susceptible to catching Covid-19 virus, than those employees currently working on upgrading Liberty Square and those other road workers currently employed on the Slievenamon Road /new LIDL Supermarket site.

The narrow roadway through Kickham Street, Thurles is by far the busiest entry road into Thurles town. It is not just the traffic accessing the area from the M8 motorway, but also north bound heavy vehicles now travelling from the south-east, who use the Mill Road. Latter are anxious to avoid the long waiting times caused by road workers operating Stop/Go signals at the junction of Clongour Road and Slievenamon Road. By next March we forecast latter area will become the new town centre for Thurles business, due to the more than adequate free parking arrangements

Meanwhile, residents on Kickham Street who pay Local Property Tax (averaging €197.60 per house, per annum, for absolutely no benefit), must tolerate the gravel, the muck and the dirty water striking their ground floor windows and house fronts; pouring through door seals and letter boxes; as local councillors, council engineers and politicians totally ignore the situation.

As can be seen in the video above; traffic movement on the street, spends more time driving on footpaths then they do on the actual road surface, due to a lack of road space.

God help home owners who may require to turn off their water supply in the future, with water metres stupidly and crudely installed on the edges of footpaths, latter which are now being constantly driven over by persistent traffic of all description’s, from 18 wheelers to bicycles.

Interior walls of some Kickham Street houses fronting on the street, are now showing sign of rising damp. This is due to the outside footpaths not being properly sealed, when solid concrete paths were unnecessarily and foolishly replaced with cement slabs in recent years; further wasting tax payers and ultimately Tipperary Co. Council collected taxes.

In the meanwhile, a JCB will be hired, its front shovel full of cold tarmac and a mechanical ‘Tarmac Tamper’ / ‘Rammer’. Two or three men will fill the holes with shovels and tamp down the cold tarmac with the ‘Rammer’. Four hours later same will be loosened by traffic, turning it into gravel, which in turn will further loosen more of the solid road surface. These repairs will continue to be undertaken 3 days a week for at least the next 14 weeks, before any real remedial action is taken.

Some idiotic Councillors in shirking their elected responsibilities; claim that Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) are responsible and not Tipperary County Council. If this is the case, then why is Tipperary County Council carrying out patch repairs?

Seen as a waste of time, proud local residents have now stopped cleaning the area in the front of their homes.

The waste of tax payers’ financial resources, by Tipperary Co. Council, continues unabated; encouraged by the silence of the Thurles community.

Tipperary Gardaí Appeal for Witnesses To Fatal Crash

County Tipperary Gardaí are anxious to interview persons who may have witnessed a fatal traffic collision in Co. Tipperary, yesterday afternoon.

Emergency services and Gardaí were alerted to a single car collision on the L4306, latter a local minor road, near the village of Bansha, South Tipperary, at approximately 3:15pm.

It is understood that the vehicle, driven by a man in his 80’s, left the road before striking a tree. The driver, sadly, was pronounced dead at the scene a short time later.

His passenger, latter a woman also in her 80’s, was removed from the scene by ambulance to Hospital for injuries sustained.

The body of the deceased man was removed from the scene, to the mortuary at University Hospital Waterford, where a post-mortem examination will now take place.

The scene was preserved for technical and forensic examinations and the road remains closed to traffic this morning, with local diversions remaining in place.

Gardaí are now appealing for witnesses to this collision to come forward and also to any road users with camera footage, including dash-cam, from the area at the time, to make same available.

Contact can be made with Tipperary Town Garda station by telephoning 062-80670.

Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis.

Driving Licence Exemption For Over 70’s During Covid-19.

The Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Ms Hildegarde Naughton, (FG Teachta Dála for the Galway West constituency since 2016), has announced an extension in the exemption that allows for those aged over 70 years old, to apply for a driving licence, without the need to provide a medical report.

Her decision comes following the current surge of Covid-19 cases and in order to ease the burden on Irish medical services.

This decision means that persons of 70 years of age, or over, can apply for to renew their current driving licence without the need to submit a medical report. Same is based on the condition that they do not have an identified or specified illness and are not applying for a licence to drive a truck or a passenger carrier, e.g. a bus or similar category.

This measure will now eliminate the need for drivers over the age of 70 years from having to make an unnecessary journey to their local GP or congregate at their National Driver Licence Service centre.

Those over 70 years old, can view the 4b category on their current driving licence, to check the licence expiry date.

Warning From An Garda Síochána, Tipperary.

Firstly: note there will be hazardous icy conditions in places overnight with a widespread severe frost and pockets of freezing fog.
Please, only make essential journeys, but if you have to drive, reduce your speed and drive with the full knowledge of the prevailing conditions in your area.

Secondly: Gardaí would like to advise motorists not to leave their vehicles unattended when defrosting windscreens in the morning, during this exceptionally cold weather.

When defrosting your vehicle, defrost externally by using de-icer or warm water, or if you start the engine, please remain inside your car and take the time to defrost your windscreen thoroughly.
Never leave your car unattended, while it is unlocked or while the engine is running.

Two cars were stolen while they were being defrosted this morning, January 8th, 2021, in separate incidents in Co. Longford and Co. Kildare. Both incidents occurred outside people’s homes. No arrests have been made and these vehicles have yet to be located.

If you need to use your car for essential travel during the current cold spell ensure your car has been fully de-iced and warmed before driving, and ensure tyres and wipers are adequate for these cold driving conditions.