There are calls for a laneway closed due to anti-social behaviour to be reopened in Clonmel.
The area in question is the passage way between O’Neill Street and Gordon Street Car Park in Clonmel – with Cllr. Richie Molloy calling for the local authority to act immediately.
In response to his request the Clonmel Borough District stated that they were carrying out surveys to see of the majority of residents on O’Neill Street were in favour of the reopening – given its initial reason for closure.
The plan is to make a decision once all of the responses are collected.
Cllr. Molloy told Tipp FM that he feels the survey should be extended to the surrounding areas as there are many other people who use the laneway.
“I’m really anxious that the council would extend the scope of the survey to residents maybe in albert Street, maybe the like of St Mary’s School, the Gaelscoil to get their views on the laneway. Because it seems a pity that we’re spending so much money at present on Active Travel opening lanes here and we actually have this laneway – it’s only a matter of taking the lock off the gate and maybe put in a timer on the lock that it could be closed in the evening at 7 or 8 o’clock – similar to a laneway in Sheehy Terrace.”
Cllr. Molloy says leaving the laneway closed impedes accessibility.
“The negative impact would be that you’re forcing probably…..you know there’s a lot of elderly people in that area…to take the long way around going into the town centre. We really are trying to make the town centre as accessible as possible. Gordon Street car park is a very well kept car park but that laneway by being locked at present is preventing people from easy access to the car park.”
