Thurles inner relief road will be ‘an important piece of the jigsaw’

Tipperary County Council is in discussions with the landowner for the development of the Thurles inner relief road.

Cllrs Seamus Hanafin and Michéal Lowry raised the issue at last week’s full sitting of Tipperary County Council.

Cllr Hanafin requested an update on land acquisition, saying it was a ‘vital piece of infrastructure’ for Thurles. Cllr Lowry said people want ‘clarity,’ and the council should be able to make a plan.

“An inner relief road will be a very important piece of the jigsaw for relieving some of the traffic issues in the town,” said Cllr Lowry.

Director of Roads and Transportation Marcus O’Connor said they are in discussions with the land owner, and some funding has been allocated.

DELAYS

The inner relief road is part of the current National Development Plan.

The first section of the road was planned as part of the developments of the Lidl superstore and The Thurles Business Innovation Centre. It will link Slievenamon Road/Clongour with Mill Road. It is hoped the development will prevent a substantial amount of the town’s traffic being funnelled through the town centre.

The road has been promised for some time, with planning permission granted in July 2014. But it has been delayed on several occasions.

However, earlier this year it was announced that €75,000 had been allocated for the Thurles Inner Relief Road under the Regional and Local Roads Programme. This will allow the design phase to progress.