Breaking: Suspension of parking charges called for during Liberty Square, Thurles refurbishment

Thurles based Sinn Fein Councillor David Doran has called on the Templemore Thurles Municipal District Council to suspend parking charges in Thurles town centre for the duration of the refurbishment of Liberty Square.
Speaking at the monthly meeting of the council in Thurles this week, Cllr Doran made the request stating that there would be a lot of disruption in the town centre while the works are going on. And, every possible incentive should be provided to encourage people to come to Thurles to shop - suspension of the parking charges would help to achieve this, he said, as he made his case to the officials from the community and economic development section of Tipperary County Council.

Cllr David Doran pictured with Sinn Fein Party Leader, Deputy Mary Lou McDonald.

Liberty Square is due to undergo a major refurbishment in the coming months with the former Thurles Town Council having set the ball rolling some years ago by establishing a fund for the work to be done. Planning and design has taken a long time but the local authority is now hopeful that work can commence on the major refurbishment early in the new year. It had been decided some time ago that the new car park off Liberty Square which links with the Slievenamon Road car park via the former Jackie Griffins Newsagent shop, should be completed and in use prior to the works commencing on Liberty Square. This will help with some of traffic difficulties and the premises has been demolished and the site almost totally cleared at this stage, according District Manager, Mr Matt Shortt.
Cllr Doran told The Tipperary Star - “ There will be a lot of disruption in the town centre and that's natural because the scale of the job is so big. But, I am calling on the council to suspend parking charges during the works in a bid to try and encourage people to come into Thurles town centre and continue to do their shopping. I don't know what this would cost, but it would only be a fraction of the cost of the overall refurbishment of the Square,” he said.