Tipperary County Council is currently engaged in a footpath renewal programme in Fethard. The purpose of this investment is to remove trip hazards and ensure that footpaths are safe to use. A total of €30,000 is being invested on this project on various streets in Fethard.
The photographs show the current condition of some of the footpaths on Bourke Street. The condition of these footpaths has caused accidents, one of which resulted in serious injuries.
As part of the renewal works, it is necessary to remove a total of five trees on Bourke Street and four trees on Main Street. This is necessary because the species of trees and the growth of their roots has continued to damage the footpaths despite previous repair works undertaken. The trees that have been removed will be replaced by younger trees selected for an urban setting and planted in a manner and location to prevent a recurrence of this problem.
The County Council does not carry out formal consultation on projects of this scale, as it is essentially a series of small footpath maintenance works at various locations in the town. Informal contact has taken place with some of the residents.
It should be noted that Tipperary County Council plans to undertake further significant investment in roads and footpaths in Fethard in 2019, similar to the successful completion of road surfacing and footpaths in 2017 and 2018 at Barrack Street, The Green and Killenaule Road. Resurfacing works are planned for Bourke Street in due course. In addition a new public park at Bourke Street is under construction which when completed will open up further views of the historic town walls.
