The blog read “Excuses By Tipp Co. Council’s Chief Executive & Thurles District Administrator” was first published by Thurles.Info on May 11th 2023 last and referred to the failure by Thurles Municipal District Council to clean drains blocked since February 20th,2022 and earlier. Read HERE.
One day earlier, on Wed, May 10th, Ms Sharon Scully (Thurles Municipal District Administrator), in an email sent to me stated; See [C]“…… all gullies in the town are on a ‘rotation list’ for cleaning. However the network is susceptible to flash flooding of this nature. Locations as listed below will be examined.”
There is no “rotation list” for blocked drains in Thurles, above drains have been blocked since 2020. In all 6 pictures shown above, ‘accumulatedindiscriminate littering‘ is not the cause of the gully blockages, but rather clay from builders and gravel from unrepaired road surfaces. Example: See one blocked drain on corner of Clongour Road, near Lidl supermarket, which was recently resurfaced, having been blocked since 2020.
Mother Nature has warned us here in Thurles, specifically over the past two years, to expect excessive rainfall in the years ahead.
A review of Ms Scully’s “rotation list” for gully’s is now needed; if drains are not unblocked with the frequency needed to match our excessive rainfall. Flash floods need a solution, if rainfall continues to become more and more a feature of life for both residents and businesses in Thurles.
To put it simply, blocked drain + lots of rain = trouble.
Meanwhile, in the email forwarded to Ms Scully, also on May 11th, 2023, asking for certain further clarifications shown hereunder; to date no reply has been received.
Email sent read: Please now also let my readers & myself have your thoughts regarding other issues shown via the following links:-
[1]https://www.thurles.info/2023/04/22/possible-bus-shelter-for-thurles/. What was the total cost of the full installation of the new carparks traffic barrier system including shelters, and CCTV cameras, same referred to as ‘Checkpoint Charlie’– and was there any money refunded following its hasty removal.
Incidentally, the very recent pedestrian crossing lights issue on Cathedral Street, was fixed, (Motorists and pedestrians thank you), but alas, having used their spanner to correct this issue, sadly no one had a spare light bulb to replace that which had failed to operate.
Again no gain to Thurles residents from paying increased property taxcharges.
On April 13th, 2023, (Read HERE), we wrote about our concerns in relation to the state of roads within the immediate precincts of Thurles town. A copy of same was forwarded to Mr Joe MacGrath (Chief Executive of Tipperary County Council).
State of Barry’s Bridge (Thurles Suir Bridge), Thurles (N75) today, August 5th, 2023. Pic: G. Willoughby.
In a surprising reply, received from Mr Joe MacGrath, through his Secretary Ms Evelyn Harty; Mr MacGrath broke a 3 year silence to discuss road craters on Thurles streets. [His rare reply has now been framed ].
On Tuesday April 18th, 2023 Mr Joe MacGrath informed us that Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) would be along to fix the N75 bridge crossing in Thurles. Quote from Mr MacGrath: “The second photo is on the N75 bridge crossing in Thurles. TII has programmed works for this section of road, which we expect will be undertaken by the end of May”. It is now August 5th 2023 and 10 weeks later no sign of Transport Infrastructure Ireland, hence we suspect when it comes to statements made by Mr Joe MacGrath as Chief Executive of Tipperary County Council “The tail appears to continue to wag the dog”
Currently every Monday morning, in two of the craters on Thurles Bridge (Barry’s Bridge), cold tarmac is tapped down with the back of a shovel. Within a 24 hour period it has been transformed into a gravel patch, causing further damage to the area and allowing collected surface water to seep through into the bridge’s main arch structure.
The end of this month, starting August 30th, primary and secondary school children will begin travelling back to our excellent educational facilities. If repairs are not undertaken and completed before the end of this month (August 2023), school traffic in combination with roadworks will ‘drive’ everyone to despair. Local residents can then stand and further watch the destruction and ruination of businesses within an now neglected Thurles Town centre.
A copy of this blog has been sent to Mr Joe MacGrath, Chief Executive at Tipperary Co. Council.
Gardaí are appealing for witnesses to come forward following a collision between a vehicle and a pedestrian in North Co. Tipperary this morning, (Friday August 4th, 2023).
The pedestrian, a man believed to be in his 30s, has since died after he was struck by a motor vehicle on the Dublin Road in the Lisbunny area, near Nenagh, Co Tipperary.
The incident happened at around 10:30am this morning, with the pedestrian being pronounced dead at the scene. No other injuries were reported.
Diversions remained in place this morning as a technical examination by Forensic Collision Investigators took place.
An Garda Síochána are now appealing for any road users who may have dash-cam footage and/or who were travelling in the areas of Tyone; the Thurles Road; Rathmartin, and the R445(Old Dublin Road) at Lisbunny, between 9:30am and 10:45am to contact them. Gardaí are also appealing to any road users who may have dash-cam footage and were travelling from Nenagh town in the direction of Toomevara via the R445 (Old Dublin Road) between 9:30am and 10:45am, to immediately contact them.
Persons with information are asked to contact Nenagh Garda station Tel: 067 50450, the Garda Confidential Line Tel: 1800 666 111, or indeed any Garda station.
Gardaí and emergency services, sadly, attended the scene of a yet another fatal road traffic collision, between an articulated lorry and a van in Co Tipperary. The incident took place mid-morning, on the N24 Cahir-Clonmel Road, between Barne Lodge and Condon’s Cross, at approximately 10:40am.
Sadly, the driver of the van lost his life at the accident scene.
A technical examination of the scene was undertaken and the road, which is the main Limerick to Waterford road remained closed with local diversions in place causing an unavoidable huge build-up of traffic due to large vehicles attempting to traverse narrow roads.
Gardaí continue to appeal to anyone who may have witnessed this collision to contact them. Road users who may have camera footage and/or were travelling on the N24 this morning, between 10:00am and 10:45am, [July 31st 2023] are being asked to make all camera footage available to the investigating Gardaí.
Clonmel Garda Station may be contacted directly on Tel: 052 617 7640. Witnesses may also contact Gardaí on their Confidential Line Tel: 1800 666 111, or via any Garda station.
Warning to motorists travelling westward on Cathedral Street in Thurles. Same are being warned that the pedestrian crossing traffic lights have once again been seriously adjusted by possibly some unknown high sided vehicle for the umpteenth time.
Same as shown in picture above now has its Red, Green and Yellow lighting system indicators facing north rather than west. Same is particularly dangerous coming onto evening with the setting sun.
This brings to four the number of pedestrian crossing traffic light system constantly being damaged on a regular basis here in Thurles, and all due to the fact that same are erected too close to moving two lane traffic.
The waste of taxpayers’ money by engineers continues unabated.
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