The Thurles Town Car Park, running parallel with Thurles Children’s Playground, Thurles Leisure Centre and Swimming pool, Thurles Library and Thurles Theatre, has now been closed to all motor vehicles.
This new Town Park car park, which was only upgraded and officially opened less than 8 years ago, is now once again to undergo a major upheaval. The new project is expected to make this area unavailable for public use for possibly the next 16 months, at a cost of €3.4 million in Rural Regeneration Funding, with little or no discussion or consultation entered into, with town residents or the local business community.
Sign attached on wooden background using possibly 2.5in cross head wood screws, fixed to a mature tree. Pic: G. Willoughby.
One of the signs indicating the car park closure is again screwed to a mature tree. We learned recently that earlier this year, Tipperary County Council hired a biodiversity officer, with a climate change officer already in place. At last month’s Thurles-Templemore District meeting, the District Engineer Mr Thomas Duffy and District Administrator Ms Sharon Scully said that from next year, there would be a proper biodiversity plan, so obviously no officials within Thurles Municipal District Council are in a position to request the contractor or other individual responsible, to remove the above sign until next year.
New Café.
Thurles Town’s 49 Space Car Park Now Closed. Pic: G. Willoughby.
Thurles Farmers Market, following their July 2nd meeting, have learned that the stone agricultural sheds first erected during the Great Famine years, are to be refurbished and expanded by means of a glazed extension. When completed same is expected to accommodate an 83 seater Café, for which an operator has yet to be located as a tenant. Same café will exist just some 100 metres away from yet another café style restaurant, run by Tipperary Co. Council, which remains closed, after several tenants vacated the space, same unable get a fair return on their initial investment. So we now will have two Café’s existing side by side, erected and paid for by taxpayers, for the financial benefit of Tipperary Co. Council; with both Café’s competing with other similar private rate paying businesses each struggling close-by.
New Market Quarter: This new now planned ‘Market Quarter’ will see a canopy erected over a section of this car park area, which will be modified to allow access to water and electricity at a number of service points, for future market days. The restructured area is expected to lose 16 car parking spaces, to already struggling businesses in the immediate area. The canopy, which will be cream in colour with no branding, cannot come lower than 4m from the ground due to the fact that cars are being parked under the canopy. The council says no trader or customer parking will be allowed under the canopy during Market events.
“The Source” Car Park, closed in 2020 continues to remain closed today (August 8th 2024). Pic: G. Willoughby.
“The Source” Car Park, funded through Rates paid by local business, has remained closed, since March 2020, due to malicious damage; today shows no visible effort being made to provide the much reduced and badly needed parking spaces, removed from Liberty Square, during Phase 1 of its upgrade.
Future layout planned for Friar Street Thurles, as stated on the Liberty Square, Thurles (Phase 2) proposal and prepared for Tipperary County Council by AECOM Ireland Limited.
Planning Map above showing most of Friar Street, Thurles, but excluding the street’s junction with Croke Street (south east side) and the Westgate junction joining the Liberty Square town centre.
4.1.3 Friar Street.
The existing conditions on Friar Street include narrow footpaths (1 – 2.4m) and two-way carriageway for the entire length of the road (carriageway widths ranging from 5 – 8.5m). There are two zebra crossings on this stretch of road. There is 155m of on-street pay and display parking.
Proposed layout for Friar Street.
“The proposed layout along Friar Street involves the construction of three build outs on the southern side of the carriageway. There is proposed planting in these buildouts to add to the streetscape. Two of these build outs are located beside junctions if side roads (?) in order to tighten the turning radius to comply with DMURS*. High end paving is proposed on both sides of the road between Liberty Square and Croke Street. The remainder of the layout on Friar Street is proposed to remain the same.”
*DMURS – Design Manual for Urban Roads and Streets.
Note the quote above states“if side roads…” same should possibly read “of side roads…”, but then only one “side road” actually exists in the map area shown; same leading south into Croke Gardens car park, before exiting unto Croke Street.
A planning application by Tipperary County Council to install a footpath on the outskirts of Thurles, at Mill Road (formerly Manor Mill Road) was published last week.
Map of Proposed Footpath For Mill Road, Thurles, Co. Tipperary.
The footpath, according to these overdue published plans, will stretch over a distance of some 950 meters in length (3117.0 ft or 0.6 of a mile) with a width throughout of 1.8 meters (almost 6ft), linking from the end of the existing broken path, almost to the stone bridge crossing the Drish River close to Lady’s Well.
The planning application notes that the Mill Road is a narrow, winding, local road connecting both the N75 (If travelling northwards) and the N62 (If travelling southwards) and has more recently come into huge use particularly by heavy goods vehicle (HGV’s), in their attempt to speed-up their access to other national routes, thus avoiding the bottleneck that has totally destroyed the business centre of Thurles Town .
The planning application now published, for this narrow stretch of the Mill Road, (affectionately known to locals as ‘Fat Arse Boulevard’), is necessary so as to provide a safe walking area for pedestrians and those intent on partaking of physical exercise.
The plans for this footpath project are indeed to be welcomed and are now on display until August 23rd next at the Council offices at Mathew Avenue, Thurles, and indeed also available online HERE.
Nota Bene: When you do go online HERE, to examine these plans, scroll down to “Report of Particulars of Proposed Development.pdf” and click on download.
NextSee Site Description:“The Mill road connects the N75 to the north and the N62 via Archerstown to the south. While this is a local road it also serves as a ‘rat run’ for vehicles avoiding Thurles town, seeking to access the national routes and also access the N62 north of Thurles …….”.
Using their words above; here, in this above statement, is full acknowledged admission by Council officials; (namely Mr Thomas Duffy [Checker] and Ms Sharon Scully [Approver]), that Thurles town centre has been destroyed, from the point of view of the operation of local businesses, with major traffic now avoiding the Liberty Square area.
Then, before you, our readers, let out a high pitched maniacal cry; comes sadly, an even greater admission. Quote, “There are a number of housing estates located on the N75 side of the L-4001 Mill Road, which are served by a roadside pedestrian footpath (500m) and also a paved, pedestrian, walking route along ahistorical walking path (‘double ditch’), located some 500m off the N75. Extension of the existing footpath from the‘Double Ditch’access, extending to the Drish Bridge for approx. 950m.“
As our readers will be aware, this historical walking path (‘double ditch’), now menctioned twice in this application, according to local councillors and their officials, did not formerly exist previously and was conveniently never included in the Archaeological Impact Statement by F. Coyne BA MIAI, which was commissioned and paid for by Tipperary Co. Council, courtesy of Tipperary rate payer funding.
No, it is not a paved pedestrian walking route, it is now a route which was completely levelled and received only a temporary coating of tarmacadam. Sadly, today an area critical in the attraction of Tourism to Thurles, no longer exists, courtesy mainly of former FF councillor Mr Seamus Hanafin and his other council colleagues, following the decision to build a useless ‘Inner Relief Road‘ through this historic area, when, if ever, eventual funding can be found. Of course there is no reference to this ‘Inner Relief Road’, mentioned in this planning application.
It should also be noted: The council, in principal only, recently agree a price for the purchase of land west of this Mill Road, with which to deliver the aforementioned ‘Inner Relief Road’, and the late delivery of plans for this new footpath, is understood to have been now an agreed component of this same land deal where space for the footpath had been earlier refused, and which contrary to commitments given by TD Mr Jackie Cahill in a press release, (dated back in October 4th 2021), the project has not yet received government funding.
Meanwhile: Submissions to the proposed development can be made free of charge until 4:30pm on Friday August 6th.
To quote the words contained in Sir Walter Scott’s epic poem, Marmion: A Tale of Flodden Field :- “Oh what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive.”
Proposed Traffic Calming measures and footpath enhancements on N62 relating to O’Donovan Rossa Street, formerly ‘Pudding Lane’ or ‘Jail Street’.
Quoting from the AECOMreport: “The existing conditions on O’Donovan Rossa Street include footpaths with widths ranging from 0.7m at the intersection with Liberty Square to 5m outside the Courthouse. There are no pedestrian crossing facilities on this stretch of road*. The carriageway ranges in width from 5m – 7m, and the road changes from two-way to one-way at an unmarked location outside the Courthouse. There is 145m of on-street pay and display parking.
* Well actually there is one signalised pedestrian crossing on this road, positioned outside the Ursuline Convent, which our planners have failed to identify. Yes, it has a bent set of lights staring into the ground, which was reported 15 months ago, on April 30th, 2023, and which has not been repaired to this date, despite being used by students attending the two secondary schools in the area. See image hereunder.
Signalised pedestrian crossing not located by Thurles planners and accepted by Tipperary Co. Council.
Quoting from the AECOMreport: “Due to the high numbers of HGVs in the study area there are a number of safety concerns for pedestrians. The primary safety concern relates to the lack of pedestrian crossing between the central island car park and the footpaths on the periphery of the Square. This causes members of the public to jaywalk across two lanes of live traffic. This has led to a number of collisions and fatalities in recent years. There was a fatal collision on the northern side of the Square in Autumn 2023, involving a pedestrian being struck by an HGV. The presence of HGVs on narrow roads, particularly O’Donovan Rossa Street, is a risk to safety. Many areas have narrow footpaths, therefore when large spills of pedestrians occur, this can force pedestrians on to the road with live traffic. It is proposed to introduce a raised uncontrolled pedestrian crossing at the junction of Liberty Square and O’Donovan Ross Street. The crossing will include tactile paving for visually impaired pedestrians. North of this crossing, high end paving is proposed for the footpath surface on both sides of the street from the junction with Liberty Square to the Credit Union building. It is proposed to widen the western side footpath at various sections along the street. This would include significant widening of the footpath in front of the vehicular entrance to The Premier (Hall) and along the section between the Court House and the Fire Station, including the introduction of landscape areas. It is proposed to introduce a bus stop on the eastern side of the road in front of the fire station and a landscaped area between the Fire Station and the Court House. The landscaped areas will include SUDS* features such as rain gardens where possible. There is a proposed uncontrolled crossing located outside the courthouse”.
*[ SuDS – Sustainable Drainage or SuDS is a way of managing rainfall that minimises the negative impacts on the quantity and quality of run-off whilst maximising the benefits of amenity and biodiversity for people and the environment].
Quoting from the AECOMreport: “It is proposed to limit traffic flow to a one-way system so there will be no Northbound traffic permitted beyond the junction with Cuchulain road.”
Quote from Phase 1 Report: “It is proposed to limit traffic flow to a one way, with no vehicles permitted entry to Cuchulain Road at the junction with O’Donovan Rossa Street.”
Locals will be aware of this folly and the bottleneck that will be caused when motorists exit Liberty Square into Parnell Street and turn into Cuchulain Road, (latter now proposed as one way), thenat the Cuchulain Road junction, joining O’Donovan Rossa Street, discover no Northbound traffic is permitted, before exiting once again unto Liberty Square, thus completing a full circle.
This will provide clarity that the street is now operating under a one-way system, eliminating confusion over the informal two-way system that the street currently operates under. This junction is proposed to have a raised table and corner radii tightened through the widening of footpaths at these corners. High end paving is proposed on the footpaths at this junction. These measures are proposed to provide a safer pedestrian experience trough wider footpaths and segregation from traffic through the use of landscaping. The formalised bus stop provides a safer location for passengers, particularly school children attending the schools on the R498 and Brittas Road, to alight while also not obstructing the flow of traffic. O’Donovan Rossa Steet also has proposed planting at the northern end of the scheme. These planted areas are identified for potential SuDS interventions, as they may be suitable rain garden locations similar to those proposed on Kickham Street as part of the N75 Improvement Scheme, subject to detailed design.
Along the western side of O’Donovan Rossa Street, 15m (50ft approx. or 4 car parking spaces) of on-street parking is being removed to allow for footpath widening and provision of SUDs measures.
Along the eastern side of O’Donovan Rossa Street, 4 car parking spaces are being removed to facilitate the introduction of a bus stop. With a 48 seater bus averaging in size of 12m (40ft approx.) and the 4 car parking spaces to be removed measuring 15m (50ft); one must ask where will the other 3 school buses serving the needs of the CBS secondary pupils now park.
In our report of July 22nd found HERE and entitled “Proposed Liberty Square Layout Phase 2”, our readers will be aware of a loss of 19 car parking spaces, including a Taxi Rank, under this new proposed, long overdue, Phase 2 upgrade. This 19 car parking spaces to be lost in Liberty Square, when added to the 21 car parking spaces, due to be axed on Parnell Street, and the latest 8 car parking spaces reported above on O’Donovan Rossa Street, we now calculate the removal in totalof 48 now lost/removed spaces. This figure calculated, immediately calls into question the figures supplied by the authors of this poorly prepared report, which they claim is a net gain of 30 spaces.[50-48 = 2]. Again where these extra promised 50 car parking spaces are be provided ‘northwest of the Liberty Square car park’ remains a secret to myself and to most other residents of Thurles. It has been suggested that an announcement by councillors of the purchase of a new field, ‘is currently being muted’.
Did Tipperary Co. Council actually pay for this planning report?
Parnell Street (formerly New Street)at the junction (right) withCúchulainn Road (formerly Nicholas Street).
To correct this; Under section 6.3.4 of the proposed Phase 2 plans, now at discussion state, we read: [Note in all quotes herewith, same are taken exactly as stated on the Phase 2 Report]. “There is to be the introduction of double yellow lines, prohibiting parking on Parnell Square, north and south of the Parnell Street car park.”
Full prohibited parking on Parnell Street is indeed most welcome, same having been sought time and time again and refused by council officials. Same will be seen as a blessing, especially by HGV drivers and all on-coming vehicles they met, thus removing the frustration experienced by all, especially those servicing 3 large schools in this area. The referred‘Parnell Square’ of course does not exist as an area in Thurles, (possibly mistaken copied from Dublin’s national plan), however, we now understand that this proposal refers to the full length of both sides of Parnell Street in Thurles town, which extends certainly to Thurles Railway bridge and possibly ends at the junction with Bohernanave, before it joins Castlemeadows, on the R498, at Semple Stadium. Here double yellow lines already exist fully on the left-hand-side, as vehicles travel slowly north over sunken collapsing drain covers. Same yellow lines also partially exist on the right-hand-side of the narrower sections of this medieval roadway; when travelling in the same direction.
Under section 6.3.5of this proposed Phase 2 plan we read:- Quote:“To counter the reduction in the parking spaces in the Square, [Liberty Square], Tipperary County Council, as part of a separate project, is developing a new car park, which is to be located within the Parnell Street Car Park, to the northwest of Liberty Square. This new car park will consist of a total of 50 new parking spaces and is to be delivered prior to the Liberty Square Phase 2 scheme. This leads to a net gainof 30 spaces, for public parking, when combined with this scheme.
In our report of July 22nd found HERE and entitled “Proposed Liberty Square Layout Phase 2”, readers will be aware of a loss of 19 car parking spaces, including a Taxi Rank, under this proposed, long overdue, Phase 2 upgrade. The 19 car parking spaces lost in Liberty Square, when added to the 21 car parking spaces, due to be axed on Parnell Street, as part of this new planning proposal, we calculate as a loss of 40 lost/removed spaces in total. This figure calculated, immediately calls into question the figures supplied by the authors of this poorly prepared report, which they claim is a net gain of 30 spaces.[50-40=10 not 30] Where these extra 50 car parking spaces can be provided ‘northwest of the Liberty Square car park’ is not disclosed. But it has been suggested that an announcement by councillors of the purchase of new land, may be ‘being currently kept under tight wraps’.
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