In a country which is unable to properly maintain road surfaces outside of Dublin city; the Road Safety Authority has announced price increases for a number of its services, including driving licence fees and NCTs.
The price of a driving licence is now set to increase in price by €10.00; from the current price of €55.00 to €65.00, while the price of a learner permit will also increase by €10.00 from €35.00 to €45.00.
A full NCT will now also increase in price by €5.00 from €55 to €60, while a retest currently costing €28.00, will now cost an extra €12.00; increased to €40.00.
A commercial vehicle roadworthiness test will also increase by 15% in the pre-VAT cost.
All price changes are expected to come into effect from January 1st 2025.
The RSA maintain that the increase in prices is due to a planned €18m expenditure on “public interest activities and government priorities”, (whatever they are).
Note: Ireland’s current national car fleet currently stands at some 2.36 million vehicles. Petrol and Diesel model account for 89% (two million vehicles) of this National Fleet, while Electric Vehicles (EV & PHEV) represent some 5%.Ireland’s current population in 2023 was 5.262 million.
Thurles Municipal District Officials; Councillors together with other unsuspecting drivers are being asked to take great care when travelling on Upper Kickham Street, (N75), in Thurles, Co. Tipperary tomorrow. Due to recent frosts, a section of the road surface, which had been dug up, has now totally disintegrated leaving huge craters directly opposite Aldi(on North side) and close to the entrance to Monakeeba housing estate(on South side).
State of road surface on Kickham Street, Thurles, Co. Tipperary.
Four living craters now currently exist on both sides of this traffic infested roadway, and have done so for the past two weeks. Despite being invisible to travelling motorists, these craters, as expected, have received absolutely no maintenance attention. But then again, it’s cold and Thurles Municipal District Officials don’t get out all that much in this type of weather.
The only reason I mention this tonight is because Thurles Councillors could be travelling into Thurles as expected tomorrow, to rubber stamp the planned Phase 2 upgrade for Liberty Square etc.
Thurles Town centre traders already having lost at least 40% to 60% of former footfall, under the Phase 1 upgrade, are expected to also be in attendance; to protest against these planned illogical and fallacious changes, same formulated by Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) and expected to be supported by aforementioned officials and some recently elected, unqualified councillors.
We will be looking at this matter more fully and in greater detail after tomorrows decisive meeting, which will no doubt be demanding immediate resignations.
Thurles Gardaí are seeking witnesses, following a road traffic collision in Thurles, Co. Tipperary on Saturday evening last. Gardaí and emergency services were called to the scene of the collision, which occurred on Friar Street, involving a car and a male pedestrian, just after 7:00pm. Friar Street, west of Liberty Square, in Thurles was immediately cordoned off, for a period of time, to allow for the emergency services to fully respond.
Friar Street, Thurles, Co. Tipperary at 5:00pm this evening. Pic: G. Willoughby
The pedestrian was taken immediately to Tipperary University Hospital and is understood, thankfully, to have sustained non-life threatening injuries.
While not necessarily contributing to this collision; Friar Street in Thurles town is regarded by many local residents as being poorly illuminated, once the surrounding local businesses close their places of trading each evening.
Gardaí are particularly interested in making contact with witnesses with who may have dash cam or other video footage, same taken from during or around the time of the collision. Gardaí can be contacted at Thurles Garda station, Tel: 0504 25100.
Gardaí in Thurles, Co. Tipperary are investigating all the circumstances, following the discovery of a body on Friday morning last, November 22nd, 2024.
Approximate area North of St Mary’s Church, Thurles, where the body was located. Pic. G. Willoughby.
The body of the man, aged in his 40s, we understand was located at approximately 8:40am in a private dead-end, lane way, off Ikerrin Road (formerly Limekiln Road), close to the junction with Mitchel Street (known formerly as Quarry Street), in Thurles town.
The body of the man was removed from the scene to the mortuary at University Hospital Limerick, where a post-mortem examination has since taken place, the results of which are not being released for operational reasons.
A file will now be prepared for the Coroner’s office.
“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?).
Half Day Free parking on a Thurles loading bay for FF Councillor Michael Smith.
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.
Pied Wagtail colony currently residing in West Liberty Square.
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?
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