Calls for issues at a Thurles junction to be rectified.

Photo from Google Maps

Cllr Jim Ryan asked engineers at this month’s meeting of the Thurles Municipal District whether they were happy with the work at Bowes Corner as it stands.

The controversial plans for the junction have received wide public scrutiny since the works started last year.

Speaking to Tipp FM, Cllr Ryan said that he wasn’t convinced about the ‘wait and see’ attitude of the district engineers.

“We’ve all seen and heard reports of lorries not being able to make the turn coming from Butler Avenue, going towards Abbey Road, I’ve seen video clips of this happening on social media, as have other councillors and the engineering staff and we expressed those concerns at the district meeting and the response back from the engineers was to wait until the full job has been completed and see what happens.

“Then at that stage they’re pretty confident that it’ll pass all audits and safety audits and that the road layout is correct. I’d be a bit doubtful at this stage until I see it.”

Cllr Ryan also said that if issues with Bowes Corner persist after the works are completed, engineers will have to go back to the drawing board.

“In my opinion, it has been made too narrow, it’s impossible for articulated lorries to make that turn in one go, so we will have to look at the junction layout at the Butler Avenue side, the Stakelum’s entrance side, I think that’s where the biggest bottleneck is, that’s where the biggest problem is.

“Look, we’ll wait until the job is completed, I don’t believe whatever they say is going to make any difference, I think this issue is still going to be there when the job is finished, and if it is we’re going to have to rectify it because you can’t carry out a job at that expense and all it does is cause much more trouble than what was there previously.”