’Deplorable’ condition of Tipperary road is ‘embarrassing to look at’
A major Tipperary road is in a “deplorable” state with potholes and cracked footpaths leading to unsafe travelling conditions for pedestrians and motorists alike.
That’s according to independent Thurles councillor Jim Ryan, who was highlighting the state of the N62 Slievenamon Road in Thurles at the July meeting of Tipperary County Council.
Speaking to the Irish Independent after the meeting, Cllr Ryan said that he had never seen the condition of the road in such a bad state.
"It’s full of potholes, the footpaths are in a disgraceful state, I know a number of people who have fallen and I know a number of people whose cars have been damaged,” he explained.
"Unfortunately, there is going to be cases taken against the county council as a result of it,” Cllr Ryan added.
The local councillor is calling on Tipperary County Council to undertake a temporary resurfacing job on the Slievenamon Road, not just to fill in the potholes as they will keep appearing due to the overall condition of the road.
"We know that road is the responsibility of Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), but they have delayed the full resurfacing works on Slievenamon Road for another 12 months and that road, in the meantime, is only going to get worse,” Cllr Ryan added.
"I’m calling on Tipperary County Council to carry out a temporary road resurfacing job on it, because it’s just in a state that I have never seen it before, it’s embarrassing looking at it,” Cllr Ryan said.
The N62 Slievenamon Road is the main road linking Thurles and Templemore, and connects to Liberty Square in the heart of Thurles town.
"It’s dangerous and it’s causing injury and damage to cars as well, so we need to do something here, sooner rather than later,” Cllr Ryan added.
Tipperary County Council said that they would look into filling in the potholes on the road as an interim measure, but Cllr Ryan said he would keep the pressure on the local authority to try and secure a temporary resurfacing job on the road.
Meanwhile, at the July meeting of Thurles Municipal District, councillors agreed to add the N62 road project to their priority list which they will bring to their annual meeting with TII.
Cllr Ryan said at the district meeting that there has been very little progress on road projects throughout the district since 2007, and called for a meeting with the three north Tipperary TDs to try and push some road projects on.