Council gives commitment to conduct speed surveys on approach roads in two Tipperary towns

Tipperary County Council is to carry out speed surveys on certain sections of the R689 road on its approaches into Fethard and Killenaule in response to road safety concerns raised by councillors who are pressing for traffic calming measures at these entry points to both towns.

Carrick-on-Suir Municipal District Engineer Michael Scully gave a commitment to conduct speed surveys to establish the extent of the problem with fast traffic on the R689 inside the 50km speed zone on its Clonmel and Killenaule approaches to Fethard as well as the R689 approach road into Killenaule from Fethard.

He made the commitment at Carrick-on-Suir Municipal District’s monthly meeting where Labour Cllr Michael ‘Chicken’ Brennan from Killenaule and Fine Gael Cllr Mark Fitzgerald from Cloneen highlighted the dangers to children and residents posed by speeding traffic on these sections of the regional road.

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Cllr Brennan initiated the discussion by tabling motions at the meeting requesting traffic calming measures for these locations.

In relation to Fethard, he said this road on both the Clonmel and Killenaule approaches to the town was very dangerous in the morning when children were going to school.

The majority of the town’s housing estates were located in those areas and their residents felt the existing traffic calming measures in place were inadequate.

Traffic travelling into Fethard from the Clonmel side didn’t slow down until well past Meagher’s Shop.

It was only a matter of time before a serious accident happened, he warned.

Turning to Killenaule, Cllr Brennan acknowledged the council’s road safety works project outside Killenaule’s St Mary’s National School. But he pointed out traffic was also speeding downhill into Killenaule from the Fethard approach road into the town.

This was a very busy section of road used by a lot of heavy goods vehicles.

He hoped the council would seriously look at the speeding issue at this location.

Cllr Fitzgerald seconded both motions and requested the council to conduct speed surveys on these sections of the R689 in both towns.

He echoed the concerns raised by Cllr Brennan about speeding outside Meagher’s Day Break in Fethard.

As well as agreeing to conduct the speed surveys, Mr Scully said he would ask An Garda Síochána to deal with speeding motorists on these sections of the R689.

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