“Free Parking” in Thurles, Co. Tipperary will exist throughout the town for the first 30 minutes of each day, starting from Sunday December 1st next.
Sounds great on paper, but of course local residents and particularly a much diminished group of business owners are fully aware that car parking in Thurles town centre has mostly been eradicated. Indeed, dare any ‘Joe Soap’, (i.e. any foolish stooge or scapegoat) consumer should park his/her motor vehicle here in any of the provided loading bays, when a traffic warden is in situ; they will quickly realise that same are reserved for the free parking of SHOWTIME trucks, same involved in advertising the fizzog of Fianna Fáil Councillor Mr Michael Smith on a giant screen. (Remind me again what has Councillor Michael Smith ever done for Thurles, that he should be elevated to further rule over us?).
In the meantime, we understand that motorists and heavy goods vehicles will experience a new traffic layout for 4 days, between Tuesday 26th November beginning at 8.30am, until close of business, ending on Friday 29th November.
This new trial traffic layout will see the south/west side of Liberty Square (Area in front of Supermac’s Restaurant), reduced to one lane and with restricted parking, leading into Friar Street.
Parking will be also restricted on the central traffic island. Observations made during this trial period will then be reported on and will influence a decision expected to be discussed by elected councillors at an agreed and convened meeting set for December 4th next. According to local businesses, if the existing plans are accepted by elected local councillors, this currently existing plan, will hasten the total annihilation of Thurles town centre over the following 12 month period.
Parking in the 3 car parks in Thurles will be free on the first three Saturdays in December, (i.e. Saturday December 7th, Saturday December 14th and Saturday 21st).
Officials have failed to note that the 3 only existing car parks are normally packed anyway, while 2 existing car parks remain closed, with little effort being made to speedily upgrade existing car park under The Source building, now closed foe over a year.
Interesting to note; the Great Famine Victorian farm sheds, situated close to “The Source” building, which has brought about the closure of a second town car park, (designated to be reduced in size, with the aforementioned existing sheds set to be converted into yet another restaurant for whom a tenant is yet to be acquired), is now delayed due to the Common Pipistrelle and Soprano Pipistrelle Bat species and Common House Sparrow being in situ, same non rent paying sitting tenants.
Compare this existing situation, to the trees due to be annihilated in Liberty Square, under the current proposed Phase 2 town centre plan. The tops of these trees are currently home to over 1,000 ‘black bib and crown’ Pied Wagtails, latter who reside there nightly all year around.
Will environmental officers also be employed to take their soon to be declared homeless plight into due consideration when existing mature trees are replaced by other overgrown shrubs?
According to the engineer’s report during consultation, all the trees bar one will be left intact with additional tree planting in the area. The various Environmental bodies have been consulted it seems. Let’s keep a sharp eye on this. There is no need to remove these trees. To do so would be environmental vandalism.