A motion calling for the resurfacing the main Street in Tipperary Town was briefly but hotly debated at today’s meeting of the Tipperary Cahir Cashel Municipal District Council.
Cllr Anne Marie Ryan’s motion called on the Council to request that Transport Infrastructure Ireland(TII) “carry out sufficient temporary resurfacing works from the junction of O’Brien Street to the Cashel Road roundabout.”
The councillor noted that until a Tipperary town By Pass is constructed the Main Street must continue to facilitate thousands of weekly vehicle movements including Heavy Goods Vehicles and Light Goods Vehicles”.
In advance of the meeting the Council Executive issued a positive response saying that Tipperary County Council are liaising with TII regarding this issue on a regular basis and that it is hoped that a satisfactory solution can be progressed in the near future.
Several councillors today recalled the vote taken in 2021 when a major project involving the upgrade of the Main Street and footpaths in Tipperary town centre was not granted planning permission on a 6 to 5 Councillor vote, for a variety of reasons.
Councillor John Crosse says a road resurfacing job now is a waste of money, Cllr Michael Fitzgerald says the matter was not properly considered in 2021 while Cllr Marie Murphy noted that the Chief Executives Report on the Project was released at 9pm the evening before the meeting to make the decision.
Cllrs Tony Black, Anne Marie Ryan and Mairin McGrath noted that the project in 2021 was a bigger project than road resurfacing and that a majority of residents and businesses opposed the timing of the works and the proposed design.
The decision in 2021 did approve works on the N74 from St Michael’s cemetery to the Bansh Road – these works are expected to commence this Autumn.
